


t^rf. 1'.- , 




I 







i\)\m0\l X" 



(■Ol-^KICIIT IIKI-OSIT. 




JAMES MECCIA ("JIMMY'') 



Life of "Jimmy" 



Let the brother of low 
degree rejoice in that 
he is exalted. 

— James i: 9. 



"God loved the world of sinners lost 
And ruined by the fall; 
Salvation full at highest cost, 
He purchased free to all." 



^ 



NJs:^^r y o R k 

1G07 



lUBBARY of CONGRESS 
I Two Copies Received 

\ MAH 8 mf 

^ ' Copyright Entry , 
)vlL^. I4,j ^/^^l> 
cuss ^ XXCmNo. 






Copyright, 1907, 
By JAMES MECCIA. 



PREFHCE. 

Tliis iricidental abbreviation 
of tl^e Life of "Jirrirny" lias no 
preface. 



LIFE OF "JIMMY" 



CHAPTER I. 

"For she (Huldah) dwelt in the College." 

THE fact is that Jimmy can neither read nor 
write. He learned how to work for food and 
bare necessities. His schooling was rough, and 
so is his hair. He is of short stature and of 
sturdy standing — not taller than his wife — and 
of robust, healthy appearance; in short, he's 
short and thick. 

It's a marvel of marvels the way I found him. 
He used to haunt the missions, and accustomed 
himself to visit the famous McAuley Mission, 
where he was ever welcomed by the late servant 
of God, S. Hadley. 

Coming from Brooklyn the night when I met 
him, I entered the McAuley Mission, and, subse- 
quent to his testimony and his daughters' singing 
(for he has three children — Jennie is the eldest 
and about sixteen, Frankie is about seven, and 
Marianne something under eleven), I loitered, 
determined to say how I wished to see him and 
alone, so, to be enabled to understand his 
worth and benefit from associating thus with 



8 LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

our hero. I found him about eight o'clock the 
following Sabbath, and was ushered through a 
long passage and up a flight and a half of wind- 
ing stairs, with no light but those glistening 
from a cat as it shrunk afront of my first ap- 
pearance. 



CHAPTER II. 

WE heard him preach, but what words he used 
are not understood by any but those who 
paid great revere,nce to his coarse form and 
unpoHshed addresses. 

It was about five years ago e'er he forfeited 
friends and gave good heed to avoid bad com- 
pany. 

I heard him give testimony to having been 
saved and of the manner in which it took place, 
and as long as he lived he always knew the 
month and the week, the day and the hour. As 
easily can he narrate his new birth as I can 
unite my praise with his. 

I heard him tell on one occasion how his little 
boy was all cold and as dead, following a severe 
sickness. The mother, all weeping, resorted to 
gather clothes for a corpse, and yet Jimmy be- 
lieving — his faith being great as is his simplicity 
— that Jesus who raised Lazarus could raise his 
baby boy of two. 

So with tears of faith and love he prevailed, 
and saw the little one's little finger on the move ; 
so faith revived and Jimmy prevailed. 

The child now lives and is beloved and ad- 
mired. Nothing was too hard for Jimmy when 
he believed Jesus. 



CHAPTER III. 

BERE let me say how glad I am to have been 
coworking with him for about twelve to 
eighteen months. His permit, now very exten- 
sive, was during 1904 almost confined to Canal 
and Mulberry streets, where he labored for six 
to seven years consistently. I preached alter- 
nately with him, and we had a great revival 
during 1904, to about Christmas of 1905. Many 
great cases of substantial work, both in re- 
generation and in converting Italians from 
Roman Catholicism to Protestant faith. I 
achieved my little preaching faculty while thus 
with him, and never did anything transpire but 
what he yielded to me entire freedom. During 
the latter part of my term with this work he 
yielded to me entire responsibility. Sometimes he 
was even silent, and seldom did any other engage 
when Jimmy and I preached; the reason being, 
that we dealt extravagance, and nothing stopped 
us in our work — no, neither lightnings nor 
thunders, no, not rain or cold, and often we 
preached and knelt where all was white and with 
snow. 



10 



CHAPTER IV. 

ANOTHER remarkable instance I will now 
record. There was always plenty of Bibles 
and New Testaments and tracts to be given away. 
And Jimmy never preached unless he had his 
Testament gripped with a thick thumb and the 
forefinger of his right hand pointing directly at 
Jesus' great Name. 

I often think of him as he used to place his 
spectacles carefully over the bridge of his nose 
and say he was going now to read the word of 
the Lord. You may have been moved almost 
to emotion as he turned the pages to descry 
the Saviour's name, and of a sudden he would 
exclaim, "Bless the Lord, I can see Jesus !" and 
the tears would roll down his cheeks. 

Now Jimmy was graced with a tender heart, 
and his little neat abode has been washed with 
tears, for you never knew a man to pray as 
did he. 



II 



CHAPTER V. 

I VISIT now his house and never tire, for it 
is a model church where all kneel before 
supper and read God's Word and engage in 
praying. The little boys would come and kneel 
as prettily as any ever did, and each would pray 
their prayer; and Jimmy was never too stern, 
but ever commanded all his house. 

I never knew a man of prayer before I knew 
Jimmy, for he always prayed; and if any of 
the little ones were perplexed with slight ill- 
temper he used to say, ''Yes, that's all because 
you don't pray; if you don't pray you can get 
all the trouble you want." 

He was the happiest man, too, you ever saw, 
and would leap and praise God like the lame 
man Peter and John healed as they went to the 
temple. 

His robust frame gave forth robust shouts 
of joy as he bounded as would a young hart, 
or as skipping lambs playing in God's light and 
warm sun. 



12 



CHAPTER VI. 

^HREE years will it be of my knowledge of 
-■■ Jimmy when this book comes under the 
weight of the press, and the reason it contains 
so much, is because the greatest work has been 
accomplished and his house, as he declares, is 
founded on the Rock. 

We have heard it said, by not a few, that he 
is the greatest man in the Italian nation, or if 
not the greatest, we conjecture him, as among 
the greatest; for he's a prophet to a benighted 
race, and amidst huge discouragements he plods 
away, and has assurance born of faith, that God 
fulfils, sooner or later, all the promises God has 
given him, while interceding on behalf of his 
people. 

Some may, at rare occasions, wonder why a 
man, so untaught by schools, has any faint right 
or ability to preach, and they may wonder, for 
it's largely a supernatural case, and none under- 
stand how peculiar to a few are his revelations 
from God, and none can fully appreciate his life 
or light. 

I marvel when Jesus said, ''I thank Thee, Lord 
of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these 
things from the wise and prudent and revealed 

13 



14 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

them unto babes," that people should be alarmed 
to hear one like our Jimmy preach with stento- 
rian fire, and riddle all God's enemies with 
penetrative conviction, and yet, many are of- 
fended, and all because they have no light. 



CHAPTER VII. 

BE gave me an Oxford Self-pronouncing Bible 
as a Christmas present, and the lovehest 
volume, as regards quality of paper and leather — 
and more valuable still, for that James Meccia 
wrote his name in it at my request. 

This brings me to narrate hov^ that once he 
was taken into Heaven, and at another time 
he was meditating and saw his name written 
in the book of life; and thereupon penciled it 
as he saw it, viz., '7IM!.'' Coming home he said 
to his daughter, ''Jennie! what's this?" She re- 
plied, ''That's your name, papa." He gave an 
account to us of what he saw ; when in the spirit, 
he entered the gates. He said, he saw the throne 
of the Lord, and Jesus at the right hand, and 
angels in white with their faces towards the floor. 

He had wonderful experiences visiting the 
"Tombs," where he regularly preached to the 
prisoners, and saw astounding results; here is 
one, as he rehearsed it : 

''I went to the Tombs one morning and met an 
Italian man who had killed another, and I talked 
to him for a while about Christ, and asked him 
if he knew it is written in the Bible that no 
murderer can go into the kingdom of heaven. 
This man told me a great story about his dream ; 
he dreamt that Jesus and him asked his brother 



i6 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

to give him a Bible, and he responded ; the man 
opened it and started to read : another man went 
in his dream and said to him, ''Do you want to 
sell that Bible?" He replied, "No." Then, per- 
sisted the other, "But how much do you want for 
it ? Will you take five and twenty dollars for it ?" 
He said, "No." "Then will you take fifty dollars 
for it?" He still replied, "No." "Will you take 
seventy-five dollars for it?" "No." "But how 
much do you want for that Bible?" The final 
reply, "I will not give it, neither sell it, for a 
hundred dollars." 

Jesus went then in his dream and showed him 
the New Jerusalem; and oh! how delightful! 
Jesus also showed him His hands, and the holes, 
signifying His crucifixion, saying, finally, "Re- 
turn now to your own place." The man told me 
all the story, and wanted to know the meaning 
of the dream ; I made him understand that Jesus 
wanted to save him, and asked him if he believed 
that Jesus died for his sins; he said, "Yes, I 
do believe." "Well, come," I replied, "we will 
pray together." So he knelt down in his allotted 
space in jail, and I knelt outside; he did not 
know how to pray, so he followed me in prayer, 
and getting up, his face was changed. In his 
cell he had a pipe, and gave it me to throw 
away. With that, I replied, saying, "God bless 
you, keep on believing. Watch and pray, Jesus 
will soon come." 

At last he declared that he saw God. It was 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 17 

while standing by me at Reade Street and Broad- 
way; coming down the street he lagged a Httle 
behind. 

Turning, I saw tears in his eyes, and wiping 
them with his handkerchief, he said, ''I saw 
God." 

The time came when he saw clearly, that he 
had to stand by me whenever I preached. 

The time came, however, when my turn was to 
stand by him. 

It is remarkable what fire he exhibits, and yet 
not remarkable, for prophets are fire; and the 
age necessitates men who can com.pare to the 
written word, ''He maketh His angels spirits and 
His messengers a flame of fire." 

You cannot come by the privilege of standing 
by such, and reading an account of a prophet 
cannot be like witnessing him — standing at his 
side. 

It's altogether vain to class my experience with 
Jimmy's; and I only narrate the things I have 
seen and not what has come from any other. 

'Twould be monstrous could we have him 
write his own life, and only by something of his 
gifts, can we give anything of his likeness, and 
coarse originality. 

God moves in a mysterious way 

His wonders to perform; 
He plants His footsteps in the sea 

And rides upon the storm. 



i8 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

Crossing the Atlantic for the first time, I found 
Jimmy, and he says, for a long while he had 
prayed God to send him help, and now, declares, 
and for long, that God sent me three thousand 
miles in answer to his prayer. I suppose to 
write an account of a valuable career. I have 
found more good than I can here narrate, and 
'twould interest how much I learnt while visit- 
ing America, and more through God sending me 
to Brother Meccia. 

'Twould amaze you, the revelations that may 
follow. 

The waiting period has been a time of faith. 
The years have swiftly closed, and our hero has 
never swerved. 

The test has been great, the faith still greater. 
He declared he had no faith, and at the same 
moment he was an Elijah. 

The discouragements were never greater than 
the consolations. The worst darkness was 
changed to light. 

Sometimes, coming from some quarters, hav- 
ing preached, he would say, 'T wish God would 
help me ;" and when knocked down by an ignor- 
ant band of men, he was known to jump and 
praise God ; as did Stephen, so did Jimmy, as 
he says, see Heaven open. 

We've known him pray all night and many 
times walk the streets of this city when all was 
cold and wintry. Nothing was too great; when 
God showed him a cold task he was warm in the 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 19 

doing of it; all hours of the night he would 
rise from his bed, and dress to walk the streets, 
and get more good therefrom than any ever 
knew. 

Strange things are accomplished by the world's 
heroes and stranger still, by God's messengers. 

It's a life, not a fable — a truth, not fiction. 

The pages of this book are not for pleasure, 
but to profit, not for money, but worth. The 
great joy he had when telling him he was having 
his Hfe written knew no bounds, and he believed 
the writer had a great commission, for he said 
one day, that in spirit he saw a huge pen of iron 
in the author's hand. 

Tears have brought fruit, and ever with Jere- 
miah did he weep for his people. 

The reward will be, when entering the pearly 
gates. No man can reward such consistent wait- 
ing, only God. 

Borrowing was customary, and all around 
knew where to come, when perplexed with af- 
fairs of this life. There were those who believed 
not in Jimmy's religion, but had faith in his 
generous heart, and as many times as any came 
to borrow, he would lend; this is God's chil- 
dren's privilege, lend, not borrow. We never 
saw any money or any article very often re- 
funded, but narrate repeated instances of bor- 
rowed wares. His house was business-like in all, 
and all was executed in detail, as though it was 
a sweeping concern of great proportion. His 



20 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

means of livelihood was a license to sell fruit 
at different corners as necessity demanded; his 
stand now stands by Walker Street and near 
Canal Street Subway. 

"I work for my living/' was a great help to 
his joy; and specially when he knew he was 
God's servant just the same. Many have said, 
"You are the servant of the Lord," and as many 
have heeded his words, when others, more 
learned, would never be countenanced, a lawyer, 
a judge, a doctor, a millionaire. 

He once said to a judge, ''God bless you! we 
pray for you ;" to a millionaire, ''I know nothing, 
only Jesus." 

God loved the world of sinners lost, 

And ruined by the fall; 
Salvation full at highest cost, 

He purchased free to all. 

This was the feeling, but not the truth. 

This was the sense, but not the real fact, that 
Jimmy ever entertained. Coming in this morn- 
ing I heard him praying as usual ; and did not 
stay long outside, he had great sense of being 
a sinner and said after praying, 'T can see I'm 
a great big sinner." Then weeping again, he 
said, 'T can't mention God's name, I can't, for 
I'm so great a sinner." 

Well did he see himself a sinner, for no one 
was so sure that he was a great saint, as when 
he saw himself a sinner. It's a remarkable fact, 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 21 

that God causes men He uses to see their sin, 
and more specially those than any others. Tm 
at a loss to understand why they should see 
themselves the greatest sinners. Is it because 
they see God, and then see how different from 
God they are? 

Yea ''Blessed are the pure in heart for they 
shall see God." 

The time being, my time is all employed in 
writing this volume, and preaching must time 
being be relinquished. The object of this vol- 
ume is not of any reason apart from uplifting 
Jesus' name, and a book of a saint would fail 
in its object, apart from this master-thought. 

The time has well been fulfilled when from 
the street to the house I shall have privilege of 
delivering this volume. 

The importance can be better known of such 
a work at the time and period of its being de- 
livered. 

It's a book of value to everyone, and none 
can read its pages apart from good of some kind 
or another. 

The preface has yet to be given and for aught 
we know the bulk has yet to be wrought. 

One day we had a great time preaching at 
Spruce Street, Park Row, and the time was very 
special, and very blessed. 

It was towards the close of the meeting that 
Jimmy gave his testimony to an attentive au- 
dience, and in all, we were richly blessed. The 



1 



22 LIFE OF '\riMMY'' 

close, found Jimmy as usual in a realm of de- 
light; and could see, in the spirit, me, standing, 
as in the air, held up by his faithful prayer. 

Another time we preached at Frankfort Street, 
Park Row, and we concluded that no man could 
preach, for none could preach perfectly. There's 
only one kind of preaching which is substantial, 
and that's the preaching inspired by God, and 
no other than the voice of God. God's voice, 
and God's word were the final words we em- 
phasized, ^lany seemed convinced of its being 
a blessed time. 

To mention details of all the times we have 
preached together, would be to employ all the 
paper ever spoilt. 

There never was a time of our preaching that 
results could not be furnished to fill a huge vol- 
ume. We went once to Newark, and Jimmy 
thundered the Gospel where he had previously 
spent wanton days ; abused his body and though, 
not physically impaired, he did not preserve it 
for God's use, but, whereas then, filled ofttimes 
with strong drink, he now feeds on God and is 
full of God's riches, and God's Spirit. 

Another remarkable instance occurred on a 
Sunday afternoon when like to-day, it was two 
weeks since that James, God's servant, went 
out and said nothing, but that he had to go out. 

The latter part found him coming up the 
stairs, and saying to a follower at his heels, 
'*'Come in, my friends, don't be afraid.''' 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 23 

The man, half intoxicated and scarcely sober 
enough to say any one thing clearly, slunk in as 
one ashamed, and crying, through having made 
Jimmy's acquaintance, through the late Mr. 
Hadley's photo, which Jimmy regards as all the 
drinking men's Father — not a compliment to the 
great Water Street missioner, except that he 
was a friend of sinners. 

The photo was all broken through the drunk- 
ard's career, and Jimmy said to the man now in 
question, "You men, or men like you, have lost 
your father ; and indeed this penetrated the man's 
human heart, and he sobbed from that time till 
he left Jimmy's neat abode. 

This all I witnessed, every feature of the 
case, and at last wept too, and instead of sitting, 
I was impressed to kneel; tears filled my eyes, 
for Jimmy took bread and beef with his kind 
heart; and set before him, apologizing for hav- 
ing no coffee, and again, I felt how real and 
firm and thorough was his love; yet practical 
in every phase. 

The man left and took a great bunch of kind- 
ness, which must help him reform, or else bring 
it to God's judgment seat as his seal to con- 
demnation. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE first winter in New York was one of 
profound learning. We had for our teacher 
— Jesus ; and whole nights we waited to see 
what God would impress on us, and see what 
revelations may come. 

The consequence was, that the spring and 
summer of 1905 wrought great exploits. 

The manifestations at Canal and Mulberry 
streets were beyond comparison. The Sabbaths 
were Sabbaths of fights. The day of rest was a 
day of work. The people who were not agree- 
ably disposed would always declare, when com- 
muning one with another, that the meetings w^ere 
all for funds, and no good was it, did we assert, 
even at all, how we did it, as all now know, for 
neither money nor material advantage, only 
from a sense of duty, and to fulfil our calling. 

These times were days of fame. They were 
days of profound preaching. They were times 
of refreshing from God; and in all we saw no 
less than God's windows opened, and a mighty 
outpouring of God's great care and love, great 
terror and great wrath. 

Preaching was nothing but hard work; we 
sawxd the air and broke all interposition, and de- 
nounced all intervention. The w^ord of God was 
heralded from Italian summits, and from un- 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 25 

fathomable depths of Scripture; and profound 
truth saturated every oration. Eloquence was 
Jimmy's, and it astounded the well learned. 
Power was God's, and it manifested itself all 
through the long line of continued labors. 

Jimmy never held to anything but power. 

Fire was his nature, and fire the burden of 
his prayer. 

Let it suffice, to give few accounts of what 
transpired knowingly to me, and to hundreds, 
yea thousands, during the said term. There was 
nothing refined, and yet, his tears mellowed all; 
and were the great secret of commanding re- 
spect and reverence from all who saw him 
and heard his pathos. The time was when, to 
more joyful a tune, he rejoiced with exhilarat- 
ing magic; and no one did not rejoice, when 
Jimmy shouted, ''Glory to God!" and raise 
shouts of praise to Gesu's great name. I've 
known him to defend himself by outbursts. 

The witnessers ever delighted when Jimmy 
rejoiced, would flock thickly to witness his mar- 
velous experiences of untold joy. It was noth- 
ing unusual for men to come for miles, and with 
raised hats honored God, and knelt at his side 
for various reasons ; but awe, overawed all, and 
power was sunshine; power was rain — power 
was witnessed — and ''power belongeth unto 
God." There were peculiarities about Jimmy's 
meetings that never grew irksome, the methods 
were unpremeditated, and what wasn't continued 



26 LIFE OF VIMMY'' 

by direct guiding of God was equally sacred by 
the sacred gift of sanctified common sense. 

WeVe known the meetings take the most sud- 
den changes ; and amidst the worst disturbances 
by indolent and ignorant men, there would arise 
great light, and it vanished all the trouble crowd- 
ing into a sacred church; (for Jimmy always 
called Canal and Mulberry streets his church, 
and so it was, for the glory of God was as much 
manifested as in any place of worship, from 
a cathedral to a cottage meeting). 

In vision, (and Jimmy saw much because he 
always prayed,) he saw a great hole as though 
dug for a foundation, and by huge machines, he 
saw a great, very great stone being slowly low- 
ered to depths beyond the sight, and therefrom 
the greatest experiences were realized, and for 
years to come, from that vision there will be 
great talk, and great reverence shown to the 
church without a ceiling, and yet, one with an 
unfathomable foundation, even Jesus Christ the 
Righteous. It was on one occasion that my 
mind was directed to preach at Market street, 
Newark, and opposite the railway station, that 
I told Jimmy I was to go ; and by about eleven 
o'clock on the following Sunday morning; so 
kneeHng at one time during the week, he said, 
"I see Canal and Mulberry streets all dug up," 
and the next night I had cause to come past that 
famous corner, and saw the street all upturned 
by the laying of pipes, with danger lights all 



LIFE OF VIMMY'' 27 

round as a closed door. So, hurrying him round 
a Httle way out of his course to his house; he 
saw how he had seen accurately the street dug 
up, and no one breathed a word at any time, to 
give him any cause to anticipate such a devasta- 
tion of his church. So, God said to him, or the 
''Spirit," to use his own word, "didn't I tell 
you the street was all broke down?" and that 
brought Jimmy along to Newark the following 
Sunday, where great things crowned the day. 

That he saw things of this order I can prove. 
That he would see people at great distances I 
can positively assert. I went to Philadelphia, 
and he said on my return, ''I saw you and a man 
spoke to you from the other side," which thing 
was true, and Jimmy in New York. Another 
time he waited for me, and disappointed not to 
have seen me early, he came again to his house, 
so ''the Spirit" said to him, "He's coming and 
he's nearly here, — a man speaks to him;" and 
in the street on nearing the house a man did 
speak to me, and never for about two whole 
years, did any man, any time, among all those 
Sundays speak to me at that particular time of 
day in just the same manner. 

Does this seem strange ? then truth is stranger 
than fiction. Does this appear novel ? then novel 
is turned to truth, and facts grow out of books, 
and life from words. 

His testimonies were turbulent, and not ap- 
preciated much by inexperienced Christians ; so, 



28 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

for some time he labored midst a midday meet- 
ing at ''John street.'' Now copyists are rife, and 
it can be easily understood that Jimmy had his ; 
these were a wet blanket; and anything of a 
hypocritical order is easily detected; and by 
casualists, as easily espied. So there grew a 
forced atmosphere of fiery imitators ; but whose 
fire kindled to burn only themselves; — so this 
came to a crisis; and came to be prevented by 
men not sent of God. 

There's need frequently of men to wake up 
a dead Church; and needed awakening of its 
members : but alas ! and woe be to that man 
who takes it in his lips to say, ''Thus saith the 
Lord," w^hen God hath not sent him. So, to fin- 
ish the turbulent attendants who may be sin- 
cerely unreal, there was an uniform to be seen at 
odd occasions ; but Jimmy, taking the bull by the 
horns, saw it, when he gave his testimony one 
day, and began thus : "Two or three months ago 
the Lord showed me the poHceman, and he was 
to be found here in this place waiting to lock 
me up," and, pointing with keen intensity at the 
officer, he shouted, ''Here he is now." So, the 
man, not heeding Jimmy but the committee of 
the meeting, was ready to execute any wish 
they may have expressed; and yet, those pre- 
siding, knowing the sincere and the real, were 
slow to interfere for very fear. Another time, 
our Jimmy saw another, not half as fiery, thrown 
away from the meeting. So, sure it is, that God 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 29 

preserves, not only His Word; but the bearer 
of it : preserving both it and him. *'I will 
rebuke kings for thy sake/' saying, ''Touch not, 
Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm." 

This goes to show his prophetic gifts; and 
their accuracy: Furthermore, the greatest can 
here with applicability be added. It was dur- 
ing my vacation I was directed to Chicago. It 
was a couple weeks before that Jimmy could 
see everything. Relative to my work in very 
detail, he was right. Thus it was : 'T can see 
you, brother, preaching, and against a red build- 
ing, and I can see a big crowd of people and the 
policeman perplexed, not knowing what to make 
of it." Now, moreover, he saw me speaking to 
the policeman, and didn't see anything clear, 
but all rather confused. It was this way : I got 
to Chicago and left Dearborne station ; coming 
out of the waiting room, I swerved a little to 
the left. It was immediately against the station, 
and one end of Custom House Place that I was 
impelled to preach, and about ten to eleven in 
the morning. 

So, there being a great crowd of pleasure 
seekers on the outward journey, thronged the 
entrance to the station ; and meeting those com- 
ing into the city from the station ; made a work 
of bustling a character for the police, stationed 
at such a needed place. Approaching him, hav- 
ing heard that permits were issued, now done 
away with, I hope, when this comes to print ; I 



30 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

produced a few permits of Jimmy's, round New 
York, and said to the police, ''Are you respon- 
sible for this corner? for Fm wanting to preach 
there ; and have no permit ;" he scanned my pa- 
pers, and said he thought it would be alright, 
but permits were derived by applying (I think 
he said) — to the City Clerk; and gave me the 
address. ''Well,'' I said, "if you won't interfere 
I won't trouble about a license ; not being here 
more than a day." So stood and looked for the 
place Jimmy told me of; and lo, the Dearborne 
station is a large red brick building; and the 
emphasis laid upon the house, in appearance to 
Jimmy like an important hall; was that the 
building was all red; so he said it was a tre- 
mendous case: God sending me a thousand 
miles to preach for one day, and concluded the 
red house to mean fire. And that all he saw was 
accurate I have full proof. He told me I should 
see a man there, too, and join with him, and 
though I forget his name I remember it in part. 
He was of Irish descent, and his name was Dan. 

, saved by street preachers in Chicago ; and 

he showed me the corner; he was previously a 
drunkard, — a crook, — a man bad enough for 
hell. But not despised; and received by Jim- 
my's Saviour; and was found of me, preaching 
Jesus to a large number of drinking, idle men, 
who knew all the tricks of evil sports, and 
were learned in all types of debauched knavery. 
This man was at times spending himself all over 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 31 

the country, preaching to such men as those 
mentioned; having learned as they had, having 
indulged as they : So, speaking with him I won 
him to stand by me at my selected corner of 
famous preaching the famous Name, through- 
out the remainder of the day. 

All to show that a prophet that God sends, 
is known by the word he saith coming true ; but 
more to prove Jimmy a prophet, and to see him 
established from Dan to Beersheba. 



CHAPTER IX. 

H E was impartial, and never spoke to please : 
^ He never respected any man, and yet, he re- 
spected every man. He had one man to praise, 
and that ''the man Christ Jesus." He cared not 
for his own interest. He has been known to 
preach so at his business, that he couldn't con- 
duct it as businesslike as the majority. How 
many masters, or employees, preach to their 
customers? He has been known to say to his 
customers, ''Can't you praise the Lord?'' and 
again, "Do you love my Jesus?" and if anyone 
remarked that it was a fine day, he would say 
so happily, "Can't you say, 'Praise the Lord, 
for a fine day'?" Some would say one thing, 
some another. Such strange remarks came 
from ordinary people; to the words like given, 
one, yea many would say, "Pm a Catholic;" 
another, "Pm a Methodist;" another, "I'm a 
member of the Holiness Church." But Jimmy 
knew nothing about creeds, or about churches, 
and all he knew was Christ. 

Talk to him about churches, and he would 
say, "What is it?" Talk to him about Jesus 
and he would never tire. I've sat whole nights 
and talked to him about Jesus; and when we 
didn't talk, we would sit silent, and occasionally, 
yea, frequently, a voice would say, "Praise the 



LIFE OF VIMMV' 33 

Lord!" and the echo would be from the other, 
as the case may be, "Amen!" For if one ever 
said ''Amen!" the other, even asleep, would 
wake and say, 'Traise the Lord!" And if one 
said, "Praise the Lord!" the other must say 
"Amen !" and the city seemed to vibrate. Praise 
God for a man like Brother Meccia; who never 
tired whenever there was a listener to his 
praise. 

But it seemed almost too great to be under- 
stood by the generality of Christians ; and they 
would meet him and ask him about business, 
and because, they said, they knew he was alright 
in his soul. 

It reminds of Gains, that John hoped in his 
writing to be prospering, as he knew his soul 
was prospering. 

Jimmy was a pursuer; and never could be 
chilled, and never could be daunted. I have 
known people warn him, and say, "You'll get 
killed if you pursue this course." The worst 
thing they could say if they wanted to stop him, 
for he would be invigorated the more, and would 
say, "I don't care, I'll fight for God — to the last 
minute." 

When impressed of a thing's truth he would 
go ahead and emphasize it, till all acknowledged 
it as he said. He would take hold of a man, 
or a subject, and hammer him to death, to make 
him understand a thing. If a man was slow to 



34 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY' 



catch his idea or his profound truth, he would 
talk to him for weeks. 

He never let go. And though, a man would 
sav, *''I cannot accept your opinion," it would 
be as an insult to him, for he could then argue 
with the man, till he proved it to be, no question 
of opinion : '*'! speak,'' he would say, 'Svhat I 
know." 

This is characteristic of a man who does our 
hero's work ; and an essential one too, for there 
must be no ifs or buts with a reformer, or the 
instigator, of a subject. 

It's the secret of his power, that he never 
withdrew a word : no, not to please a king, and 
yet, he would not wilfully offend the smallest 
mortal or the tiniest thing that ever grew. 

It's a wonder what knowledge he has of the 
Scriptures, and with what great wisdom he can 
apply them. Jimmy would refer to the Scrip- 
tures, and debate Hke a scholar. It's very inter- 
esting to follow him in his creed : He had his 
creed. And never alters it ; it's scriptural and 
never of dubious worth. He selected the most 
profound doctrines and never kept them secret, 
so we will not be thus guilt}-, knowing e'er this, 
in his autobiography, he would say something 
like this : 

(i) Xo drunkard; no thief; can go into the 
Kingdom of Heaven. 

(2) He believed none were Christ's, who kept 
not His commandments. 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 35 

(3) He only believed that a man was saved 
once, — and for backsliding, he never allowed it 
entrance to his second skin. He couldn't under- 
stand. And said, the man that talked backslid- 
ing was himself a backslider. 

Jesus didn't only half save a man, and he 
makes a clean sweep, when he gives his testi- 
mony, by saying, "J^sus saved me from drink, 
— from curse, — from dirty, stinking tobacco, 
— and from all sin." He never tolerated smok- 
ing, — the man that smoked had no right to 
preach; and he never understood how a man 
could be a man of God, and full of the Holy 
Ghost and smoke. 

He dissevered all, and broke clean loose from 
Satan's shackles when he knelt down one even- 
ing; — confessed himself a sinner, and a sinner 
saved. 

He had a revolver, ever before he met Christ; 
and now he says, "My revolver is this," holding 
up the Word of God. He was definite, plain, 
free and frank. 

If any ever qualified to receive honor from 
God it's Jimmy, for he never shuffled to receive 
any from man, but courted disfavor and not 
praise. 

A good man, and one universally esteemed, 
said to him one day, '7i^"^y> ^f yo^^ go ahead 
in that manner you'll suffer ;" I suppose Jimmy 
believed it and knew he had to suffer. 

He has his favorite songs, and they are such 



36 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

as are then and now popular, ''Onward, Christ- 
ian Soldiers," 'There's not a Friend Hke the lowly 
Jesus, no, not one,'' "What a Friend we have in 
Jesus," 'In the sweet by-and-by," and even 
others of the like order and finding how many 
he sings with Jesus' name, makes it hard to say, 
but what all hymns were favorites, and with a 
whole soul by him they were sung. 

The other day he said, "I have a tremendous 
trouble; my trouble is I can't get near enough 
to God. I want to get near and don't know 
how." He would say, "I can't get hold." 

To praise God was his business, and when he 
didn't feel Hke saying "Praise God!" was the 
time he praised God most. 

Here's his own words. "When I don't feel 
like praising God, I say, 'Praise God a hundred 
thousand million million times; — praise God to 
all eternity.' " The devil never robbed him of 
joy, because he never allowed anything to inter- 
fere with his praise to Jehovah. 

He bought some fruit one day, and was de- 
frauded ; the top looked well but were under- 
neath of a very different order; so he was 
depressed for the time, and Satan came to him 
as real as could be and grinning. 

So Satan said, "That's what you get for serv- 
ing God." Jimmy thereupon took an axe, (and 
we have something to narrate about that axe) 
and chased the devil clean out of the house, and 
spat, and hit him, and with quick time, having 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 37 

put Apollyon to flight, he rejoiced, and sang, 
and shouted to God's glory. 

The axe one day was loaned; as he told us, 
to the iceman: who came daily in his round; 
and Jimmy, receiving the ice, did not again re- 
ceive the axe from the man that used it; so 
he prayed that God would send him with his 
axe to-morrow. Jimmy soon found the axe 
again, at his side; and rejoiced because he be- 
lieved God did not keep him waiting till the 
next day. 

I went one day into his house, and in the even- 
ing; and all were then away, except the two 
little boys may have been asleep. Now this is 
marvelous. He began to say to me, ''If my wife 
was here she would get you something in;" I 
happened to have had no supper. So Jimmy 
began to look for the best he could produce, for 
he, too, had had no supper. 

The time wore on slowly and yet easily as 
usual; ticking clocks move silent, subtle hands, 
and so did Jimmy move his; and to our united 
surprise — for we reckoned on the best we could 
produce being prison fare, bread and water — it 
ultimated in having honey: — think of it, — I am 
passionately fond of honey. Jimmy also found 
little neat pieces of meat and the table was si- 
lently furnished with viands, and all at once, 
somebody said, "Well, praise the Lord, because 
when we say we have nothing we have honey." 
And this spoiled Jimmy's appetite, for though 



38 LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

sitting close to the table the tears flowed down 
his cheeks for very joy; and he wept instead 
of taking supper, which left more than I needed, 
and rejoiced while he wept. Is this a fact, — in 
God's sight I am and lie not. Indeed, one cried, 
the other laughed, while both rejoiced. 

"We have a great God," his oft-repeated 
words; and I have known him grip the sacred 
volume for two or three hours of a Sunday 
morning before going out to preach, and then 
remark, ''I can't let go this blessed book," and 
that morning, he preached the Lord's coming 
with amazing zeal, and marked fire. 

The time came when he took my Bible and 
said, everything is here ; and emotionally and yet 
solemnly, the words came full and clear, "That 
silver, and gold, and power, and fire, and knowl- 
edge, and wisdom, and everything is here." 

I heard him say at another period, "I like to 
have this blessed Book in my hands," and, "I 
can't read it, but I know it's the Word of the 
Lord, and I like to look at it," and it would lay 
open in his hands, to yield him untold joy. 

His daughter Jennie is a great girl in his 
sight; and furnishes him with a short reading 
every night he wishes from the sacred page. 
He finds her of great worth, and is womanly 
though very young, — her responsibility has been 
enlarged, and ever will, since her father is a 
good and holy man. She never fails but ever 
encourages her father, and gives him proofs of 



LIFE OF VIMMr' 39 

her fidelity to his God. It's prophesied of her 
that she will be very rich one day, and will be 
important a factor in the lives of many. She's 
full of hope and optimistic as the parent, whose 
life we record; — their features, some of them, 
a duplicate of the other, denote all hope and 
faith, and all that Jimmy says he is going to 
receive, Jennie believes he already has; and 
trips to produce proofs of near preparation, ful- 
filling a ^'Meccia's" Philanthropic Home for 
''Waifs and Strays." This with so many thou- 
sand dollars has later to be reaHzed. 

The clouds bend over me, and I feel embow- 
ered with a full rich heaven, and continue my 
penning, knowing that God's clouds are full of 
rain, and His hands of rich blessing. The God 
of Elijah, never allowed him the key, to stop 
rain, over the period of a few hundred days, and 
that's why we have rain which is grace, — not 
fire which may yet have to come. 

''Watchman! what of the night?" He replies 
with hope- words of the morning. What we anti- 
cipate or what we have received, is not so much 
our business, as what may immediately appear. 
Gold not God. God not gold. Sometimes men 
strive for gold, and it vanishes in their pursuit 
thereof ; others seek God, and He addeth thereto 
gold; — now gold without God, is Hell without 
Gold. And one we heard speak plain said, that 
the God of this generation is spelt with a "1" 
in it — we add, that the gold of this generation 



40 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

is spelt without God in it, and that is, to pro- 
nounce the letter correctly — hell. 

The bank of God in this world is the sea's bot- 
tom ; and there's more wealth there than on the 
surface of the earth. How dare we misjudge 
God and think Him poor? I have in my mind 
to say how indignant our Jimmy grows when 
hearing men professing godliness beg money. 
These people, says Jimmy, in a quaint but cer- 
tain way, have a poor God; they have to beg 
to buy a coat and shoes for their God. This 
is not Jimmy's God, nor is it one to be recom- 
mended; but heed the word of Him who says, 
'The silver and the gold is Mine, and the cattle 
on a thousand hills are all Mine." 

The man that has no more than he earns, and 
no business but that over which his master pre- 
sides, may be charged with folly, for saying he 
will have a Metropolitan Tabernacle; sell the 
book he now writes, in that very place; whose 
foundations are the sea's bottom, and whose 
wealth is God's gold. 

Time like an ever rolling sea, 

Bears all its sons away; 
They die, forgotten as a dream, 

Flies at the opening day. 

The sea and God's Word are sure founda- 
tions, and yet, whereas nothing can go below the 
sea's depth, or ascend to pinnacles of God's 
Word, — there must be no less a tabernacle with 
pinnacles and a sea of gold for its furnishings. 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 41 



My faith looks up to thee, 
Thou Lamb of Calvary, 

Saviour Divine. 
Now hear me while I pray 
Take all my guilt away 
And let me from this day 

Be wholly Thine. 



Over which building the stars of God's adorn- 
ing and the stars of America shall keep watch. 
The guardians, — God and God's judges set in 
authority in this world. 

Stripes shall preserve it, and of spiritual as 
well as material in kind. The Stars and Stripes 
of America, and the Stars and Stripes of Heaven ; 
— viz., the stars in the hands, feet and side of our 
Lord Jesus, and the marks of the scourge against 
His holy back. 

It may be added, that already, we have some 
stools but they were used in our church in the 
street. 

By-and-by, we shall have chairs to be used in 
our church inside doors. 

Much may be recorded as to our adventure 
with stools, and make interesting reading mat- 
ter with little pains. 

It was while sitting meditating about the de- 
sirability of chairs, for the resting of those who 
came long distances to hear us preach, that we 
volunteered to give a dollar each for camp stools, 
just a few : There was Jimmy and another who 
is faithful, named Thomas Grande, a convert of 
Jimmy's, and whose wife when hearing of her 



42 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

husband's salvation, said to him, ''Why! take 
me to that man to speak to me of Jesus," and 
now, she weeping while Jimmy was speaking, 
weeps now with joy. 

These stools were the property of the church, 
and I think there was another who gave a dollar 
— his name , which assured us getting four- 
teen camp chairs. The first morning we were 
privileged to have one of them honored, and the 
very first man was a man with one leg and a 
crutch; who, attentive to Jimmy, payed rever- 
ence through rest. 

This delighted us, and we concluded that God 
had answered our brother Jimmy's prayer, and 
had blessed and honored the chair. 

This quite refreshed the interest in a measure, 
and though, now idle, they may again be in use, 
for they have been brought to God's sanctuary. 

His word declares, that God's children in the 
wilderness did not find their shoes to wear out, 
nor their clothes to grow old. Indeed, God 
blesses common things, and they are then very 
uncommon. 

God must be glorified or I cannot write. 



CHAPTER X. 

GOD was the Name ever on Jimmy's tongue. 
He never questioned the abiHty of God. 
God was all and in all. 

Defeat never was His, and Jimmy ploughed 
everything with that august personality. He 
would at times sit and meditate as silent, but 
that occasionally he mentioned the name ''God." 
He would speak to no one at such times. They 
were great times too, and not infrequent. His 
manner was to sit and kneel in a lounge, and 
when the nights were neither in the street or in 
bed. The famous chair was bed and rest and 
work. For the chair was so strangely made that 
it forbade anyone falling asleep, and so much 
was it accustomed to Jimmy's kneeling, that it 
was a good awakener for one who depended 
more on prayer than rest — on God not slumber. 
'Tt is vain for thee to sit up late and rise early 
for He giveth His beloved rest." A scripture, 
Jimmy couldn't very well employ, so he would 
always take the least comfortable to him, and 
never charge God, or His Word, with being a 
concave. He would never excuse himself, or 
look for excuse in Biblical characters — never 
said, "David sinned and Peter fell," etc., etc. 
He knew nothing when people looked for a 
harbor of rest, or longed to ease the strain of 
continued labor after that which endureth unto 



44 LIFE OF VIMUr' 

eternal life. God to him was a reality. He 
never knew much outside God, or to say clearly 
what we mean is, that he believed God was the 
Alpha and Omega of knowledge, and the people 
who knew not God were people who knew noth- 
ing. God was knowledge, and no man could 
test the power of another as accurately as our 
hero. He would never be slow to confess God. 
Some would think that lack of knowledge, 
stripped him of propriety, but nay, it was his 
knowledge that furnished him with confidence, 
so that he confessed God at all hazards, putting 
Him first and putting Him last. 

The Saviour had said, 'This is life eternal 
that they might know Thee,'' and knowledge of 
God was life to Jimmy — and knowledge of God, 
was the only kind of know^ledge at all worth 
the having. 

It's not lack of indiscretion that is the cause 
of so many putting God in the dark, or hesitat- 
ing to confess Him, — rather let it be said that it's 
disinclination why so many try to serve God 
secretly, and though not fearing the Jews, yet 
so for they fear home associates. 

This was very plain to our plain man. There 
was nothing refined about him, and he hated re- 
finement about his heels. He was coarse but 
not absurd; rough, though not clumsy; dis- 
dainful, but not harmful. Ever awake for un- 
reality, and would smite it, Hke did Samuel, 
King Agag. 



LIFE OF VIMUr' 45 

God was in all, and no day would pass with- 
out Jimmy, had a new idea, but never anything 
but reconcilable to Scripture. The way he 
learned Scripture was by attention thereto 
whenever it was read, and if he couldn't main- 
tain all, he would assimilate some; and if he 
needed any, that he did not assimilate, would 
come back whenever occasion set him in need. 
He was a great man, and could have made him- 
self felt in any department of learning, if early 
advantages were his, but how many know, how 
many dark souls and minds Rome produces? 

It's well to know the first principles of learn- 
ing, and whatever we may say about crooked 
or artificial knowledge, it's far from any, we 
should hope, to keep children in darkness, just 
because Jimmy was extraordinarily great, 
though illiterate. Knowledge comes by experi- 
ence; and it can be made serviceable to our 
lives, but we advocate learning, and furnishing 
everyone with as much wholesome teaching as 
the very choicest masters can furnish. 

Jimmy had an out-of-the-ordinary head, not 
a receding forehead, but rather perpendicular, 
and perhaps slightly prominent at the top, where 
curly and silken black locks were natural and 
comely. He was not very becoming, as one 
would think, but at intervals, his appearance was 
most commanding. I have known him produce 
as much character and grace by a look, as one 



46 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

learned in expressive arts could, by persistent 
study. 

His moustache not long, nor very profuse; 
and Jimmy, never neglected to shave, perhaps, 
not desiring to be a clean-shaven American or 
a beardy Jew. Neither barefaced, or complying 
with numbers. 

As it is, we give a graphic account of all 
detail relative to him, and simply because minu- 
tiae was his, and nothing was too unimportant 
to consider, or too small to be employed. 

Little things make greater results than great 
men know; and yet, no great man ever aban- 
doned anything that appeared small : — except, 
what a great man regards small, a lesser man 
would regard very large : no straining at a gnat 
and swallowing a camel. Now, no two are pe- 
culiarly great in just the same way; but one 
great individual can ever appreciate another, 
and no great man ever defamed another, great 
as himself. 

A man may be great with letters, another 
without any. 

Jimmy, great, and illiterate; another, stocked 
full of serviceable knowledge are coequal, and 
equally great. There's no limit to marvels, and 
old things are growing new, and every turn of 
the biggest wheel shows something great, though 
nothing under the sun be new, nevertheless, an 
occasional revival has ever been appreciated; 
and ever will be: — and though another Jimmy 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 47 

has not graced this generation, it's not to be said 
at any other period there was never such a 
being to be seen. Though, can one be revived 
from ages passed? We can easily write a few 
hundred stories relative to a modern man, great 
in God. 

The next chapter must confine itself to Jimmy 
as he gives his experience. He gives glowing 
accounts of all who make him what he largely 
is. First, we ought to speak of his declining 
mother-in-law and what is only true. The time 
will soon come and she will rest in Christ. 



CHAPTER XL 

TO-NIGHT, being three nights previous to 
Sunday, we found Jimmy exercising him- 
self in godhness, and left him bending with his 
face buried in the famous chair, and there weeps 
his way through to Christ's Cross. The way 
seems oft trodden by him, and again and again 
he fights, to lay hold of the Cross. It's remark- 
able that the way has to be trodden so many 
times, it's customary with saints to beat it hard, 
and beat it soft, — with shoes, and with tears ; 
the way is endangered if not too frequented by 
the world's greatest, of growing over, and no 
one shown the way — the royal way of the Cross. 

These exercises are frequent, and our house 
and the chair can certainly bear testimony, could 
they speak, that Sunday is near at hand, for 
Jimmy leans hard at the end of the w^eek, both 
on his chair and Christ's Cross. The old lady, 
previously mentioned, sits silent ; but meditative, 
her days are closing; she has ceased now to be 
young, but that she smiles when the little ones 
romp. Her work must be coming towards its 
last concluding chapter, and since it may not be 
that she's again mentioned in this work, our con- 
tribution shall be a brief account, of what she 
has learnt from Jimmy. 

Coming in one evening, yea midnight, he had 



LIFE OF VIMMY'' 49 

tears in his eyes, and as she slid the bolt giving 
him admittance, he began to preach to her about 
Jesus; and she began to cry; and upon their 
knees at midnight, while both were weeping, 
Jimmy told her that the angels sang about her 
in the Kingdom of Heaven. Thereupon she left 
despising him ; and we understand that she was 
inveterate against Jimmy's new religion, until 
she found Christ that saved Jimmy; and now, 
for a year or two she rejoices and ascribes praise 
to Gesu. 

James ever met from his people the cold wel- 
come words of, "I don't want to change my reli- 
gion." His warm reply ever was, '^Change your 
heart.'' So did he, with all his old companions 
preach famously a great Gospel, by preaching in 
every house he visited; and now lives where he 
once served the prince of this world, but where 
now he serves the Royal Prince, Heaven's King. 

God grant grace, yea, many a day yet, for the 
light and benefit of a darkened race, that Jim- 
my's house may be a beacon where it's very 
needful; and where many an one can be kept 
afloat by consistent footlights, guarding the 
shores, and shoals, sending a searchlight ^11 
over the sea of Italy. "Praise God from whom 
all blessings flow." A wave of light where all 
was dark. 

It's been already said how Jimmy's creed 
is based upon fundamental truths. And we 
suppose, no Sabbath goes by that some part of 



50 LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

his creed is not well furnished, and very thor- 
oughly enforced. We suppose, no preacher can 
give more graphic accounts of Christ's coming 
down from Heaven; he can display a picture as 
real as on canvas as to the bowing of the 
heavens during the descent of our Lord from 
the skies; moreover, we have heard it repeat- 
edly to be his wont to depict the goats on the 
left hand, awaiting their descent into the fire 
that never shall be quenched. Enforcing how 
Christ came and said, ''Drink," but never com- 
promising a word, and thoroughly enforcing the 
wickedness of the wicked, calling on them to 
repent ere it be too late: — crying, *'God has no 
pleasure in the death of the wicked." 



CHAPTER XIL 

THE ancient manner was for a prophet to have 
a servant. 
The servant was greatly honored who waited 
on the man of God. The servant was not a 
rest lover or he could never be a prophet's 
servant. It oft records in early days how that 
the man of God, as well as the servant, were 
risen early. Early rising a great key to wealth 
of all kinds — no idler can be a prophet or a 
prophet's servant — neither can he be wealthy in 
any one particular. The man who qualified to 
be a servant of a man of God, was one who 
didn't love rest. How much pay was attached 
to such a calling we cannot with accuracy 
record; but we believe there was none; and, 
that a prophet's servant was a servant learning 
to prophesy ; and because he saw nobility in such 
a call and strove neither for slumber or wealth. 
Let it be often proved that servants of prophets 
gleaned good golden sheaves — nevertheless they 
were neither slumberers, or money seekers, when 
devoutly prophets' servants. Early rising must 
be more carefully followed, and time was, and 
is, that he who sleeps loses much, while he who 
early rises gets wealth; not necessarily gold, 
that's material; but gold that endureth; and to 
be at Jehovah's call at an early date is as great 



52 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

as being at an early hour waiting His commis- 
sions. 

I would rather rise at two in the morning 
and keep awake, than go to bed at two and hurry 
through devotional a course, just to scramble a 
morsel and be in time for business. 

There was never a time that I was not wel- 
comed by a sliding bolt; at every hour of the 
night I have called upon Jimmy, and was always 
admitted, and he ever rejoiced that I came. In 
addition to sitting and watching whole nights 
with him: I have risen from my bed at one, at 
two, three, and four; and called at his abode 
where greater times were realized than pen can 
narrate. 

He always said, 'Tm glad you called, and what 
a blessed time too ; what knowledge we get when 
together and waiting upon God." The time was 
eventually when he declared that he had built 
his house ; and no man could knock it down : for 
it was built upon the rock, and that rock was 
Christ. 

Jimmy built for time and eternity. He never 
said anything he didn't mean, and never found 
time to make light of life. He ever was seri- 
ously joyful, and though, positively religious, his 
religion was a well-spring of joy. He knew no 
jokes, and play was never his. He was so rooted 
with strong manly sentiment, that to turn any- 
thing from the direct course, or make fun ; would 
be as foreign to him as could be : — and he depre- 



LIFE OF VIMMr' 53 

cated jocularity in any form. Fun was his to 
see his little ones and make them happy. There 
was (and he gives a call occasionally even now) 
a bearded man, who never tolerated anything 
which was of ornament, providing it hadn't the 
purest descent from orthodox scriptural belief; 
to say he was narrow would be wrong, but he 
was overbearing there's no question of doubt: 
We saw a Christmas tree prettily decorated, and 
adorned with childish interest; and how a man 
could find offence I don't know : but some look 
for trifles, and for no other reason than to cry 
aloud, and to no beneficial purpose: and so did 
our friend; and caused, not much sympathy, 
with, or from the little ones. How much benefit 
he derived, would be enough to take away his 
own joy, had he any ; and make him over-relig- 
ious; and in consequence, gloomy, when Christ- 
mas should be happy and cheerful, and the fire- 
side should crack with thorns and child voices. 
Solomon was one of few that were so profoundly 
wise; and he says, "Be not over-religious" and 
depend upon it, that joyless Christianity is not 
worth the having. Jimmy would go out of his 
way to please his children ; and was sorry that 
our friend, was so inveterate against Christmas 
trees : but what could Jimmy do — he was happy 
to see the children happy, and merry as Christ- 
mas should be, were his little ones. 

But our profound, overbearing friend thought 
it wrong, and that it savored paganism, or was 



54 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'* 

a relic of Rome ; and what else he t±iought none 
cared to know. We were happy during Christ- 
mas. 1904: and there was a Christmas tree, dur- 
ing the eventful season of 1905, and a prett}' 
one too. 

There's no merit in robbing little lives ; and 
making them grow without playfukiess. There's 
no merit either, in keeping sunshine out of their 
lives; for it's unnatural, and a child will grow 
to repudiate a religion that forbade him being 
blithe. 

A child that plays well, will in the end, work 
well; and you cannot make a man of him who 
never vras a child. There's nothing manly in 
copying children: or nothing gained by children 
copying older people, when their years are yet 
tender: and their days but sunshine. 

The Uttle ones must be considered, I find it 
already to wish them a ven.* happy Christmas. 

The subject of Jimmy praising God, and when 
he didn't feel like it. occurs to me, for I feel 
compelled to write, and don't much feel Uke it. 
To-night, visiting a dear friend, we talked of 
Jimmy, and particularly of him being great in 
ad\4ce : \\'e have been rescued from many a 
pitfall by Jimmy's prompt word, and often re- 
ceived it as God's message ; and always to our 
advantage. 

He was a man of one word, there was not 
an}'thing unstable about him. 

James says, "A doubleminded man is unstable 



LIFE OF VIMMr' 55 

in all his ways." Now Jimmy, never halted; 
he saw one way and it seemed the right, and 
whether or not, he took it, and praise be to God 
for such a man, who took to his course with 
manly bearing, and never was he compelled to 
draw back in anything, either through lack of 
courage or conviction; for twofold were his 
incentives to duty. God was in Jimmy's career 
far more than any other that I ever knew. He 
would never make compromise to please himself 
or friends. 

The Holy Spirit was Jimmy's. For why, we 
may go on to show. There was one time when 
he visited me, and almost directly after my ac- 
quaintance with him. He knocked at the win- 
dow, and glad was I to admit him, by getting out 
of bed and unlocking my door. It was a bitterly 
cold night. 

The time then was when I prevailed to get 
him sleep with me, for it was a large iron bed 
that afforded plenty of room to us both. 

'Twas not long before he placed his trousers 
carefully under the bolster, and settled down as 
he fully thought; and for the remainder of the 
night. 

We talked freely for awhile about our Saviour, 
and a few moments more made him say, "I'm 
'fraid I can't get rest to-night," nor did he; for 
much as he tried, he finally had to try no longer, 
and got up and walked the streets for the great- 
est part of the night. This may seem a simple 



56 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

and insufficient account, to prove a man to pos- 
sess the Holy Spirit. This account can be given 
force to by a further account. It's nearing two 
o'clock so here I'll take my rest, or take what 
God appoints and say like Jimmy, "Praise the 
Lord for rest and praise the Lord for work." 
Waiting upon God, is the way these pages are 
written, and what doesn't follow subsequent to 
such waiting is of little value. It's not sufficient 
to pen words, we must write a life ; we must not 
only write when it's easy, but do that hard and 
laborious task. 

'Tis a favorite saying of a man I know, "that, 
to keep awake when very tired is to pray." Pray, 
and Hke Jimmy; — we wait upon God when we 
are asleep. 



CHAPTER XIIL 

BE was correspondent with the command- 
ment: 'That which is altogether just shalt 
thou follow." It was when anyone ran in haste, 
and without sufficient change, that he showed his 
concern; and would fetch him back, saying, ''I 
don't want your money, my friend." This would 
give him occasion for preaching, and would say, 
"Do you know why I don't rob you ? It's because, 
so many years, or months, or weeks ago, God 
saved me." 

He would charm any casualist, or any kind 
of indifference, when first showing, how that God 
was just, and particular too, for his children, 
that they should "follow justice with all men." 
The reason we must emphasize the great char- 
acteristic, is, because it charmed all ; and how- 
ever much it may be lacking, and with God's 
people; surely it is that Jimmy made up for 
their lack, as far as he could, and by setting so 
many the example. 

"Example before precept;" and the reason he 
was so used by God, is that at the back of him 
there was a strict adherence to all claims of 
right; and causes, of whatever there may be 
of justice : a just man. Coming down in the 
train just lately, on my way to visit him, it 
came to my mind that having known Jimmy 



S8 LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

for about two years I never knew him to do 
anything wrong. This brought tears to my eyes, 
and I find it a rare occurrence to meet a right- 
eous man; of whom we can give such a great 
testimony. I never saw him do anything which 
showed anything contrary to the teaching and 
commands of Jimmy's Master. A Christian, and 
only because he followed Christ. ''He that is 
born of God cannot sin." And ''if any man sin 
we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus 
Christ the righteous." 

"There's only one good, that's God," was his 
oft expressed words; and whereas he knew 
the possibilities of God in Christ to be great 
enough to make a man holy: — he never said, or 
thought himself a holy, or even a good and 
righteous man. Ever ready to give the Saviour 
glory. When one said by any by-chance, "I 
know you are a good man," he ever corrected 
them, by making them, "Behold the Lamb of God 
that taketh away the sin of the world." 

Now will I tell to sinners round, 
How dear a Saviour I have found; 
I'll point to Thy redeeming blood, 
And say "Behold the way of God." 

The way of the cross. How much more may 
be said reconcilable to our good man's conduct? 
The manner he conducted himself and surround- 
ings is unique every way. 

He's been known to wake all hours, and rise 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 59 

from his bed; and with as much goodwill as a 
hungry man would eat an appetizing lunch. He 
would often preach dumb sermons. He never 
opened his mouth if the atmosphere was thick 
and with unbelief; — for often he has said, "I 
can't open my mouth/' and would thereupon 
retire ; and feel glad he never broke the silence. 
He was greatest of all when at table; for did 
you spend as many lunch times with him as 
some, you would perhaps come to believe it 
true, that the best part, or the most enjoyed by 
him, was the grace. Sometimes it was sung; 
other times, the tiniest boy said it, and often, 
Jimmy said grace; at other seasons, his visitor 
may be called upon. And it was a relishable 
time; when we had grace it savored every 
victual, and whatever was on the table and a 
colored and white cloth was certainly blessed. 

It's been bread and water, and it has varied 
even to roast chicken; and even when chicken 
were very dear. The board has been laden with 
rich variety; and fulness was applied. The day 
when it seemed dulled through inclement 
weather was the day of days, and made the 
inner life shine brighter and brighter. 

He lies on his couch now and sleeps ; — and 
before dosing he got up and said, 'T got to get 
up and tell you, that no money can buy the 
blessed experience and joy the Lord gave me 
to-day," and that said, he fell asleep : — but the 
idea of his having to get up to tell me was 



6o LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

singular; and very rare; even among great 
saints. A week since, a friend of mine visited 
the Pliilippine Islands as a missionary; and 
she came to his house for a few minutes before 
taking her journey: the time was great for her; 
as for advice, he gave it, and very freely. 

In a word, he said, ''Look only to the Cross, 
and you'll get great light." 

Now no one can be offended when having 
the like advice; unless they have never been to 
the Cross. He would judge himself capable of 
expressing such pointed exhortations, even to 
people very much advanced in brain knowledge; 
which thing was no good unless the Cross was 
seen, and its light made all knowledge glow 
with sanctifying light. A doctor to-day, hearing 
that Jimmy's life was being written, wanted to 
read if only a few lines, of the original penning; 
— so, to favor and please one worthy, we grudg- 
ingly consented, not to please the reader but 
the one who interceded; and what consequence 
will come of the loan we care little to know; 
and surely, without any desire for anyone to 
express an opinion, we go on, not admitting the 
book's absence more than about four hours. 
The fact is, that since Jimmy's heard that his 
career was being writ down, he hasn't ceased 
telling everybody; and all are anxious to see 
the book before it's at all like ready ; so we will 
hurry, Deo volente, to have it done, and hoping 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 6i 

Jimmy will not make any more promises till 
the work has been put into other hands. 

One night, talking with him, very long ago 
now, he said that Elijah was coming from 
Heaven, before Jesus came: — this was in his 
creed. 

Yet, asking him what he thought the manner 
of his coming would be, his idea was crude, 
and he thought actually from Heaven ; and not, 
as he now believes. 

However, a talk by God's help brought him 
hght; and he said during the conversation, '^I 
can see Elijah," and had his hand on his door; 
and when Elijah comes, we suppose he will be 
an ordinary man but with wonderful knowledge 
and great power, and a flaming nature; and a 
spiritual giant. The time has come, when we 
talk no more of his coming but believe in very 
spirit he has come ; and let it be added, that the 
exception for spiritual power and zeal in the 
Old Testament may be the rule under the New 
Testament, during the greatest of dispensations ; 
namely, the dispensation of grace. 

"I wish Jesus would come to-night, and I wish 
the Lord would take me away from everything 
of this rotten world,'' was the secret of his 
power. 

He never lived to be established, neither in this 
world's events, or ypt in events as righteous 
as Christ's Kingdom being established. Heaven 
was his home; and Heaven his goal. Was he 



62 LIFE OF "JIMMY" 

cowardly ? that he wished to lay down his sword 
and go home; and rest. Nay; for only while 
thus praying and desiring was he qualified to 
execute the greatest work capable. 

''To me to live is Christ and to die is gain.'' 
Readiness to die is preparation to live ; and men 
ready to die are the ones whose lives are the 
salt of the earth. 

The time, has yet to come for Jesus to come, 
and whether Jimmy passes the vale of death, 
or whether he meets Him in the air; will be 
just one and the first resurrection will be his, 
of whom it says, ''Blessed and holy is he that 
hath part in the first resurrection." 

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet 
before the coming of the great and dreadful day 
of the Lord : And he shall turn the heart of the 
fathers to the children and the heart of the chil- 
dren to their fathers ; lest I come and smite the 
earth with a curse." 

"And they removed by constant guidance, a 
pillar of fire by night, and a cloud by day." 

So did Jimmy move when led by God; and 
stay, when God said stay; and should any say, 
"How did God lead, and how did God speak?" 
we are sure that one is as possible as the other; 
and the leading of Israel cannot be believed, and 
the fact that an individual is led be ignored. 
Jimmy was always strict in the necessity of God's 
leading. He believed, no man could preach 
God's Word unless led by God, and the Spirit's 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 63 

guidance alone can make the word spoken ef- 
fectual; and make it God's word. 

He one day entered a church, and because the 
minister who was appointed to instruct for a 
week's mission, had given out that if the people 
had clean hearts would they stand, Jimmy sat 
still; and so did another; and because Jimmy 
sounded a "Praise God !" during the said official's 
address; he was in consequence addressed by 
God's weekly messenger, with the words, 
"What about you, friend, is your heart clean? 
You ought to have it so by the way you sounded 
just now." "God knows my heart," and sat 
still. 

Thereafter the appointed minister, or the regu- 
lar preacher that needed a week's revival, came 
to Jimmy and said, "Jimmy, that's a bad spirit ;" 
and all because Jimmy "obeyed God and not 
men," and there's no rule that all a congregation 
should stand when a man cares to say stand ; or, 
if such is the case, whence comes a man's free- 
dom? 

Thereupon Jimmy took his cross and came 
away ; and if not led by the Spirit he shook the 
dust off his shoes ; and the Spirit has never led 
him there at all since. 



Singing women have done much good, and 
their voices frequently reach hard hearts, when 
another voice would be utterly inadequate. The 



64 LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

Gospel may be sung, as well as proclaimed, and 
preached by men; and the chances are that a 
song sung by a female voice can reach the heart 
of man, and for no reason but that his mother 
used to sing ; and she revived when a songstress 
selected a very favorite that miother caroled, when 
the hard man lay near his mother away by the 
hills, and on a country house hearth. Jim had 
no room for female preachers, but women's 
voices would melt him whenever he heard them 
engage in praises to Jehovah. The incident pre- 
viously described in relation to Jennie, his daugh- 
ter, was incomplete ; for that we made no refer- 
ence to her as a sweet and very wonderful singer : 
— and has special charm in her voice when help- 
ing her father. There's no limit to her power in 
this direction; and it's hoped she will furnish 
many hearts with a w^ord from God through her 
talent. Winter and summer, and from a child, 
she's known the same exposures as her papa, 
and no weather has kept her from being regu- 
larly at her post on the Lord's day; and more 
to say, she continues and with an accomplished 
sense that it's now her duty. God honors her for 
being so faithful, and for child service; surely, 
it's written, "Out of the mouths of babes and 
sucklings Thou hast perfected praise." 

Song is heaven-born, a gift to man. If some- 
one could but give me a minstrel I could write 
better. I long for music; I crave it. It's life- 
yielding, and Heaven would not be Heaven with- 



LIFE OF VIMUr' 65 

out it. I get little and can account for depres- 
sion; it is lack of song. Yesterday to me my 
tears were for its lack. 

Music, souls can't live without it ; he who can- 
not appreciate music cannot go to Heaven, for 
he has no soul. Well does it comply with the 
saying, that birds sing when they are sad, but 
sadness vanishes from their little lives after they 
have sung. Could they not sing they would 
have to weep; and birds not gifted to sing will 
find the rippling brooks and stand by stream 
harmony. How one longs for Heavetn when 
music is so scarce! 

Jimmy, knowing I was tired and that I was 
resting and, as he thought, sleeping, hushed his 
little boys, to show kindness to me; but this is 
how he did it. I heard someone singing aloud : 

In the sweet by-and-by, 
We shall meet on that beautiful shore. 

I thereupon got up and sang bass, by way of 
accompaniment; and he was so full of glory 
that he made all sorts of disturbances ; so, fol- 
lowing this outburst, he said, ''I couldn't help it, 
I had to sing. I stopped the boys making any 
noise, but there — I've made more myself." 

These experiences are not anything but ordi- 
nary to him. 

He went one day into a Christian man's manu- 
facturing store, and they two, Jimmy and the 
master, prayed together, and in the office. Jimmy 



66 LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

says he was so filled that he couldn't contain his 
feelings, and snatched his hat and rushed out, 
to give vent in the street. He was a literal fire- 
brand. 

He goes on to tell how that, visiting a church 
where he was first baptized with fire, and on his 
way home he sang and rejoiced and jumped and 
preached, to the amazement of those in the car. 
They thought he was drunk or beside himself; 
and so they did think of the Apostles. 

His method was to sing with all the strength 
God gave him, and it wasn't bad singing when 
God gave him spirit; — to say the least, it was 
loud. It was not ''mother's prayer." But, 

All hail the power of Jesus' name, 
Let angels prostrate fall. 

If Jimmy strained his voice he never lost it. 
It was not melodious, but penetrative ; not 
charming, but it arrested the people. 

It's a vain saying that 3^ou lose your voice 
if you don't take care of it; we have proved 
that people lose their voices because they don't 
use them. 

A minister once said to a young fellow, "That's 
a good voice ; you must take care of it." A lady, 
after many years of street brawling and very, 
very loud preaching by the same young man, 
said to her husband about him, "Oh! what a 
lovely voice." Take care to sing, and believe 
that of the voice it may be said, "He that would 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 67 

save his voice shall lose it, but he that would 
lose his voice for My sake, the same shall find it/' 
Jimmy complains of his side giving pain, and of 
his face having irritating pains; but his voice 
will echo here when Jimmy joins in Heaven's 
choir; at present it's strong and gives no signs 
of its ever going to fail. 

"Jeremiah speaking from the mouth of the 
Lord" did not prove effectual in turning a king; 
and we cannot always judge the quality of a 
man's work by immediate results. 

The preaching of our hero was from the 
mouth of the Lord, or it was nothing. A 
prophet indeed and in truth. Prophets have 
few friends, and so did Jimmy. Did he have 
many, he would have had those more able, ere 
this offering to write his life's story; but alas! 
they have not been forthcoming, and unless they 
come soon, Jimmy will have gone, and they not 
know it. 

Jeremiah had his feet fast in the mud, yea, 
though "a prophet speaking from the mouth of 
the Lord;" and Jimmy stands where no very 
sedate personage, void of humility, could find 
him ; he resides where all is mean, and the street 
very low, and the mud of Italy seems accumu- 
lating not far from the surroundings where 
Jimmy believes the Lord would time-being have 
him reside. 'Tut now these old cast clouts and 
rotten rags under thine armholcs under the 
cords," said they to Jeremiah ; and thus drew 



68 LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

they him out of the deep dungeon. Jimmy awaits 
the Saviour's admitting him within the Pearly 
gates; and only last night he said that he could 
see we were very near to the gates of the King- 
dom of Heaven. The Lord will finish his career 
with great glory, and Jimmy will join the host 
of Heaven, and sing the song of Moses and the 
Lamb. How much he loves to speak about the 
redeemed ! Jimmy has had many prophets 
round him, who knew nothing, but that they be- 
lieved Jimmy was too great for this world, and 
said that God would not let him suffer here 
very long. 

Jimmy is ready, and wishes Jesus would come, 
and soon. 

Quick as possible we hurry this work; for so 
many will buy it before it's printed. Quicker 
than ever we dreamt of must this book be com- 
pleted; and Divine grace can alone press it 
forward, and finally close its pages. 

It's drawing near the time when another feels 
weary of earth ; and yet, many years he would 
work, and die, adoring Jimmy's Redeemer. 

The Bible Jimmy gave me is closed, and mine 
lays open. They are both upon my bed, and the 
one open upon the pillow, the other shut and at 
the foot. It may mean little, it may mean less ; 
it may mean much, it may mean more. But ask- 
ing God to furnish these pages, I now behold 
the one, as it opens, and trust something may 
be inspiriting, and reminding us of a few cir- 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 69 

cumstances, more interesting than any yet given. 
It's enough! There's a highway into the field; 
and the proclamation may be a brief account. 
The day is at hand. We who have toiled shall 
toil not anymore again. 

The ''night is far spent/' and watchmen cry, 
''The morning cometh." 

It may be that the writer can go from his field 
of action to the field of rest, and be little la- 
mented, his friends are few. 

It may be many would mourn did God take 
Jimmy the highway into the field. But God is 
good and alarms us not, nor gives us any signs 
of our decline and decay. One neither knows 
of his beginning or the finishing. We know not 
by remembrance when we first saw the light. 
We know nothing much of our closing our eyes, 
never to wake. "Yet blessed are the dead that 
die in the Lord," and "Precious in the sight of 
the Lord is the death of His saints." 

His deeds would necessitate another volume, 
which may and may never be written. The one 
in hand characterizes his sayings and his man- 
ner of life; but actions are too weighty to be 
told and too immeasurable. A man can go out 
with a measuring line, with a view of measuring 
a city — and yet he cannot measure a single man. 
Jimmy cannot be measured. It's amazing how 
many understood him, at least they thought 
they did ; but none can understand Jimmy and 
none can know him thoroughly. He's a man, 



70 LIFE OF VIMMr' 

not an angel ; — to be depended on, and not to be 
depended on. His word is always ''Yea, yea," 
and ''Nay, nay," and always subject to the word 
of James, ''If the Lord will we will do this or 
that." I heard him criticize a religious com- 
munity once, and all because thejy said what 
they would do, and what they could do, but 
never said, "God willing." "It makes me feel 
bad to hear such kind of thing," would be his 
oft-repeated alarm. He has said things to the 
writer that would have offended most men, but 
I still delight in my work, and spend many an 
hour watching Jimmy, and hearing his abuse. 
He never speaks to please, and was more severe 
with me after I began to write his life than ever 
he was before. 

Now, I can stand little from the average man ; 
but that man cannot offend me, try as he may. 
I once heard him pray like this : "O God, put 
us in the fire and make us one piece of iron!" 
and that's the only reason I never forsake him; 
God heard and answered him when he prayed, 
and now He cannot undo His prayer, and does 
not desire that we should be apart. I suppose 
we shall both weep, when I leave for England 
in July of next year. It's imminent, I am going. 
Yours heartily, "Jack Stidworthy." 

My nom-de-plume is my half name. It's not 
to be inserted anywhere but here; and not to 
be printed anywhere, larger than the smallest 
word in this work. 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 71 

Yes, Jimmy loves Jack, and Jack loves Jimmy, 
and if, when together, little can be appreciated 
by observers, then one thing is a reminder of 
Jesus' words, "Hereby shall men know that ye 
are My disciples if ye have love one for an- 
other." We never love in word, but in deed 
and in truth. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

TIMMY has been obliged to visit his family 
^ doctor, and through continued pain at his 
side. Now, Christian doctors are the right kind, 
and our man has no aversion to doctors; no, 
none at all. It's surprising how many can dis- 
pense with doctors of medicine; and when they 
are afflicted they often resort to them. But let 
their surroundings be afflicted, they discourage 
the idea of their friends resorting to medical 
profession. It's a fact that one day Jimmy got 
scolded for going with his complaint to a doctor. 
The man that reprimanded was one whose re- 
ligion was to succeed himself. I suppose he 
had more faith than Jimmy, or he would never 
have advised him to "trust in the Lord." 

The people are not accomplishing much any- 
way. I often take suitable medicine; although, 
by God's grace, I have not resorted to a doctor 
since little more than a boy. I am grateful for 
that I have been so well, but because I don't 
need a doctor 'twould be absurd did I kill them. 
I see other people sometimes, and I advise a 
doctor being called, and believe a life can often 
depend on one's skill. It's absurd to discard 
common sense, and an insult to a man's reason 
to advocate doing nothing because we cannot do 
all. What doctor doesn't know that he can pre- 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 73 

scribe medicine but cannot effect a cure? If 
a man is healed it's done by God, and by the 
instrumentality of a man. We know there are 
cases when a physician confesses a case beyond 
his ability, and then God shows the doctor, and 
patient, and friends, that what is impossible to 
man is possible with God. 

Jimmy had a great story to tell during my 
call two evenings since. His doctor, who had 
the loan of this volume, was with a friend when 
James made a call, and to be again examined. 
The doctor saw him advance and called the atten- 
tion of his friend to him with the words, "This 
man is a redeemed man." And thereupon the 
doctor went on to tell how great was Jimmy's 
experience; and he narrated very fully from 
the book which was so early read, with words 
to the effect that Jimmy was having his life 
written and well written. So, during the fur- 
ther scrutiny of Jimmy's complaint, the doctor 
gave him advice, to excite Jimmy's faith. ''Sup- 
pose," said the doctor, ''that you change your 
physician, as you say you are no better. Sup- 
pose you put yourself altogether in God's hands 
for, say, three days, and I believe He will cure 
you; at any rate," said the doctor, "give it a 
trial." And other things said go to prove that 
doctors are not infidels, or lacking in religion, 
or robbing their patients by acknowledging the 
cure to be God's. 

James was not easily shaken, nor need he be; 



74 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

for he furthered a great cause, and though he 
be, to use the exact simiHtude which he gave us 
to-night, ''in the wilderness," nothing can shake 
him. Strange that I got down to his house 
this evening since I proposed writing and here 
in my own room. I heard it going full on the 
Cornet somewhere in the street, and Jimmy 
seemed to draw me, for it was the song that 
ever preceded his preaching w^hen alone : 

Why, sinners, will ye die, 

Since Jesus all can save? 
Salvation free for thee, 

Then Jesus now believe. 

In Italian he sang it, and it went loud and ar- 
rested a good congregation. When I got down 
town, I found he had been already singing the 
above, and about the time of my hearing it 
played when so far away. 

''You great big fool, you!'' said a man in the 
market where Jimmy went about three o'clock 
this morning to purchase some fruit to retail 
where he still w^orks for his piece of bread, "why 
don't you at this time go and speak for some 
political party? You are a good speaker; you 
could make a lot of money." "Yes, I know I 
could, but I w^ant to work for my living," was 
Jimmy's rejoinder. The man had evidently 
heard him preach, but not very much, or he 
wouldn't have been anxious to push some sweet 
potatoes into Jimmy's hands which belonged not 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 75 

to him, but his master. "No, no, I can't take 
them; you must not give away your master's 
property." ''Oh," said the man, ''I can take an 
apple out of one barrel, and out of another, and 
I take home some every night." ''I tell you you've 
no right to do that sort of thing," added Jimmy. 
I don't know what kind of preaching is the best, 
but this is how Jimmy goes preaching from 
morn to eve. 

He can be seen going into a large shop about 
midday where many are employed ; and meeting 
the master's son one morning, as he placed his 
basket of fruit down, the son said to him, ''Well, 
how do you feel this morning?" "I feel to 
praise the Lord," was Jimmy's prompt reply. 

His disposition is very evenly balanced. He 
never seems irritated, and calmly submits in all 
phases; and never allows life or death to shake 
him, or to ruffle, even at all, his sound confidence 
in his God. I never knew a being so unmoved ; 
nothing ever excited him. Ever subdued, and 
never in a fever. If he heard any sad news it 
was only to increase his praise. If he heard 
anything contrary to the things of most men, 
such as dull trade, or inclement weather, sickness 
and loss, it never marred his peace, or harrassed 
his soul. Peace like a river ever attended him. 

I heard him say more than once, "I love my 
enemies." "But as I read our Lord's exhortation 
in that subject to-night, he never moved, nor 
even spoke. Not always hasty to justify himself. 



76 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

or ready to raise himself, for he knows right 
well that "he who exalteth himself shall be 
abased, and he who humbleth himself shall be 
exalted." 

The rest of Jimmy's acts are written down, 
we believe, in the books of Heaven. 

He spoke often of the books of Heaven, and 
it's only fair to say now that he had his library : 
"The Word of God," "The Book of Life," in 
which he saw his name, as already given, and 
whatever books are admitted into Heaven, 
whether they are few or many. Yes, Jimmy's 
library is one whose door is God's Spirit, and 
the door of God's Kingdom, for he can read 
his name in the "Book of Life," and can read 
Jesus' name in "God's Word." 

How many can see their names written there? 
And the reason Jimmy is such a giant in re- 
joicing is because he rejoices, and on scriptural 
foundation; hence our Lord's words, "Rejoice 
not that devils are subject unto you, but rejoice 
because your names are written in Heaven." 

It occurs that Jimmy's name is mentioned too 
much, but on a consideration it impresses me; 
if I mentioned it less it would not be a book 
worthy of the title. The wonderful event is that 
Jimmy never has done rejoicing. A very sun; 
and his peering eyes are lesser lights, yet not 
less brilliant in the sun of his face. I cannot 
account for such exhaustless delight; there 
must be eternal depths and mines of joy where 



LIFE OF VIMMr' 77 

Jimmy gets, not refilled theirefrom, for he is 
never empty, never dry; tears and joy are spon- 
taneous, and light all; for nothing glitters like 
a diamond tear, or sparkles Hke joy. 

Jimmy's face is beautiful, though not good- 
looking. Its appearance is happy, though not 
cold, and beautifully shaped. He laughs, and 
you cannot see Jimmy, but behold Jesus. We 
said to him, at least, one of his friends, yester- 
day, ''I can't be like you, you are always ," 

and therewith shaking his hand, as a depressed 
Christian, he walked away. He laughs at storm, 
and, like Job's horse, he is emblematic of 
strength. Ha! is it not thus given, "The joy 
of the Lord is our strength" ? Jimmy is a strong 
giant, and yet weak — a great and little man. I 
have seen gfreat men exhibit great weakness. 
I cannot say this of Jimmy. I shall have to 
furnish a few of his weaknesses, that the record 
may be a true and unflattering one. There 
may be no more opportune a time than now. 
It's against our desire, but it must go down; 
and it's not a Christ we have to speak about, 
it's a man. A son of God through grace, but 
a son of man, not perfect as his Lord. Christ 
alone. No prophet, saint, martyr — only Christ. 
Then hail Him ! and laud the Man Christ Jesus. 

Jimmy was grievously persecuted by a gang 
who professed Socialism ; but how social was 
patent to all, and their profession was more to 
hinder the good of humanity, judging from their 



78 LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

conduct. A tall fellow, about twenty-five years 
old, was a very dog in creating the most wicked 
interruptions; so, ultimately, our man lost all 
patience, and at last (for he bore with him 
about two years) had him arrested, and closed 
one meeting by marching off to the "station 
house" of a Sunday morning, and the said tall 
man in charge, led by a police. Jimmy fright- 
ened him, and the prison being shut, the man 
could not be then at once tried and sentenced. 
The tall man begged Jimmy that he would not 
lock him up, and Jimmy let him free, but not 
until he saw the station master secure the full 
address of the offender. 

The time was that Jimmy also had a police- 
man to stand and keep watch while he preached 
— a thing not infrequent. But a man does not 
appoint a policeman except when he has doubts 
as to his power at any place where he preaches. 
God sending a man will furnish him, and help 
towards governing the police as well as a con- 
gregation. This caused not a little controversy 
between Jimmy and the author, who never much 
enjoys a meeting where policemen are scaring 
all thieves. Better have them under the convict- 
ing voice of God's message than under the super- 
vision of the Government's representative. I 
ought to say that Jimmy did not believe in police- 
men much as necessary to help a man preach a 
greater Gospel than anything else in the world — 
it is only accounted for by saying, Jimmy lacked. 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 79 

It may have been patience; it may have been 
power; it may have been strength. A weakness 
indeed, but one we have to record. 

The man may have benefited, for he never 
troubles Jimmy any more. I sincerely wish this 
was the worst fault I am heir to. I fear, a book 
would be very uninviting to the general reader 
if I had as much written about me as I have 
written about James Meccia. 

I find it very hard, but necessity is bearing 
upon me, and I will be true to my own sense 
of duty and be sincere. I cannot write onesided, 
and hope one day the people may know how 
wicked am I and how good the Redeemer. If 
raising Jesus sinks us, let us rejoice; remember- 
ing the words of him, great among men — John 
the Baptist said of Christ: "He must increase, 
but I must decrease.'' 

Peter sat by the fire and warmed himself after 
denying Jesus, and ultimately he grew a great 
giant and preached tremendously. He, with 
Jimmy, forgot their griefs and wrongs in their 
consistent endeavor to exalt Jesus; and rather 
gloried in infirmity when it was the doorway for 
magnifying Christ. Yours to behold the mote 
which is in thine own eye. 

There's a scripture now in view found in Pro- 
verbs, chapter twenty-three, the fourth verse, 
which says : ''Labor not to be rich ; cease from 
thine own wisdom." 

Jimmy could reckon up the quality of a man 



8o LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

as accurately as the strictest analyst could. I 
could be in company with men much more 
learned, even greatly educated, that couldn't 
make me squirm ; their scrutiny would not afifect 
me anything, nor could they enter the soul to 
espy what Jimmy can ; and what he can detect in 
any man he may meet. I never knew a thought- 
reader, but I know ''Jesus knew what was in 
man and needed not that any should tell Him." 
Jimmy has this out of the ordinary gift, and let 
one be with him very long and Jimmy can take 
such a photograph of his man as will scare a 
gross who love darkness and will not come to the 
light. I'm not surprised that he has few friends. 
I'm able to understand it, in the light of a for- 
saken Saint who said, "All have forsaken mc." 
And how many forsook Paul, "having loved this 
present world." Reader, beware, lest you grow 
wise in your own conceit and foolish in becom- 
ing rich. A rich man made Jimmy's acquaint- 
ance and purposed aiding him in what he re- 
garded to be a great work ; but how long did that 
rich man stand? "We had a rich man stand by 
us," says Jimmy, in a half-smiling, half-sarcastic 
manner, "but we lost him." A man sets out to 
run well, but what hinders? The many that 
have been going to do great things for the servant 
of the highest has never amounted to much. It 
was talk and not do. Jesus in the lip but not 
in the life. They had hope of the crown, but 
they have not yet taken the cross. Intellectual- 



LIFE OF VIMMY'' 8i 

ism too, IS as great a hindrance as wealth. Rich 
and clever people seem little use to God. I knew 
another who came again and again to Jimmy, 
and he was fairly well-to-do. It seemed that he 
was impressed to do something to aid Jimmy as 
God's servant ; but he held back and now regrets 
his not having been true to his promptings. 

I was speaking only lately about a man who, 
I said, was very famous as a soulwinner. "Who 
sends this man?" was the question, promptly put 
by Jimmy. Hesitating a moment, I moved that 
he was appointed by some society. 

"That's enough," said Jimmy, "a man ap- 
pointed by a man cannot preach the Gospel ;" he 
is not a free man. 

I admit it to be the case, and Jesus said, "If 
the Son shall make you free ye shall be free in- 
deed." God doesn't admit anyone doing any- 
thing to aid His servants. "He came not to be 
ministered unto but to minister," and no man 
ever did anything for Christ, and certainly they 
can do little for those whom Christ sends. 

The other day we had a baptismal service, and 
three were baptized in the river Hudson. Since 
then Jimmy, concerned about his wife and an- 
other of his converts, went to a minister to have 
them baptized, and because he was an English- 
speaking man, he recommended Jimmy to go to 
an Italian minister, which thing Jimmy did not, 
but came home, disgusted that a man should re- 



82 LIFE OF VIMMY'' 

fuse to baptize, being a minister of a baptizing 
church. 

Jimmy doesn't beHeve in ministers, and de- 
nounces them all-ways. They are not faithful. 

Orion was Jimmy's favorite star, and anything 
glittering reminded him of a sword. He could 
see things after this order at times, and never 
went into the street very courageous, unless 
God, as he said, showed him something, by which 
his strength and courage revived. 

'T can see a sword, and I have it hold by the 
handle," would be a mighty source of encourage- 
ment to a mighty man. But sometimes it would 
be enough, and if in the absence of the sword he 
could see Christ. ''I can see Jesus, and preaching 
to a great big congregation at Canal and Mul- 
berry Streets, Jesus is over there already." 

Thereupon he prepared with marvelous elas- 
ticity, and what he saw by revelation everyone 
saw in reality, on such an occasion; and Jimmy 
was frequently the instrument in God's hands. 
His word was with power. I remember one 
morning him saying to me, ''You have to go and 
preach at Church and Canal Streets, for Jesus is 
over there already, and a great light there ;'' and 
how vigorous he was in this, by repeating the 
words and saying, ''Now, don't you do anything 
but go ; you go, if you get killed. Go." 

He said, after our having gone and realizing 
a wonderful time, mostly preaching to Jews, "I 
felt like chasing you out of the house." Such 



LIFE OF VIMMr' 83 

visions made him a flame of fire, and one or two 
after this order could do more towards rectifying 
a disordered world than all other professions. 
Jimmy had a very great determination to annihi- 
late all hypocrisy. His sword was for hypocrites, 
and he used it, like a man, who left his message 
from God in the stomach of a king, and the haft, 
half buried, with the sword. God's message some- 
times is wrath, as well as mercy. The preaching 
of love was almost distasteful to the man of God, 
and he said, frequently, "I got no love for this 
people — I take a sword and kill 'em." That 
preachers of love didn't know of what they talked 
of, was certainly his conviction. That their eyes 
were to please the women, not deal out manly 
principles to men, was Jimmy's conviction. 

You cannot alter this man's views, or rob him 
of his convictions. They are right, and they grip 
him. There is more wisdom and knowledge cen- 
tred in him, than any scholar ever told, and I 
have heard many. Knowledge a principle, and 
not a method; an entering the soul by God's 
grace, not the mind from the mind of others. 
Jimmy could give knowledge and speak wisely, 
and was not appreciated, but thrown out of the 
temple. The words were to the man that was 
born blind to whom Jesus gave light, "Thou wast 
altogether born in sin, and dost thou teach us?" 
Well, fools can come by wisdom. 

But there are wise who must become fools, that 
they may be made wise. Hypocrites were merci- 



84 LIFE OF VIMMY'' 

lessly scourged. ''Knowledge people" Jimmy 
called those who were great talkers. Their ex- 
perience was all absent. 

No one could satisfy him by talking ; he needed 
a life as well as a sermon; and a sword with a 
handle. A Christian wnth an experience. To 
talk and have not, the worst falsehood. Such 
interrupted him; the result was they came in 
touch with our sword in question, and it some- 
times cut them, and converted them from being 
enemies, and to being friends. One came one 
day and told him while preaching, of how much 
he knew, and told Jimmy to go to school and 
learn, but he put the man to flight, and by sound 
wisdom humbled the interrupter ; while the people 
applauded. Since then the man puts himself under 
Jimmy and reverences him, and now has a silent 
tongue. I have met those who could give great 
religious expositions and all so accurate, that it's 
been wonderful how people could be such Chris- 
tians. It happens they have not received any 
grace from God, and it's not heart work, but head 
knowledge. To-day I feel depressed and do not 
complain. I hope to be enlivened when I hear 
Jimmy sound a well-strung "praise God" on the 
ear of some, who care to sit at his feet. The 
privilege is not for everyone, or they would avail 
themselves of it. They have no liking, so Jimmy 
remains in the wilderness ; only on some occa- 
sions we see him pinnacled "in heavenly places, 
and that by Christ Jesus." 



LIFE OF VIMMr' 85 

Strange how we can write a volume about a 
man who knew nothing. For he ever said he 
knew nothing. And we believe he only knew 
anything as far as God showed him each moment. 
''God hath ordained weak things to confound 
the mighty, and thingsi that are not to confound 
things that are." A blank is a blessing. A full 
mind needs emptying, to be again filled. Stale 
bread, or stale knowledge, is never attractive. 
To have news is to have the latest published, 
whether it be a weekly periodical or a divine 
revelation. 

This was where Jimmy made things live. He 
was all life. He never knew to-day of what he 
preached yesterday, or cared at all for past rec- 
ords; it was to-morrow, and to-day, that occu- 
pied his thoughts. 

Past midnight and Sunday has dawned before 
the sun, and a call on the subject of these few 
incidents may make us fresh to comment further 
about him. 

You will be assured of satisfaction will you 
follow these comments to the end; it may be 
hard to reconcile one statement with another, 
but pray, be unbiased and the whole matter will 
be a good argument, and void of even slight 
contradiction. 



CHAPTER XV. 

FAITH not impractical was his; and had he 
been a rehgious student, one would say he 
studied the practical epistle of his namesake as 
a special study. 

Faith and works with him go hand in hand. 
''Show me your faith without your works and I 
will show you my faith by my works." Faith, 
not works, and works with faith. 

'This is the work of God that ye believe on 
Him whom He hath sent.'' ''He that receiveth 
you receiveth Me, and Him that receiveth Me 
receiveth Him that sent Me." Not a performance, 
but a work. A business, not a profession. A 
sacred business, not a materialistic engagement. 
I look to Heaven to be revived ere I can strike 
a cord of revival. It's a hard toil to attempt a 
life of a saint. It's a calling not small, and one 
that hurts and gnaws the soul. It tears a man, 
and afterwards yields him joy. 

I can see Jimmy across the floor, and where he 
oft lies, and though not impoverished, for he has 
a bed yet. The floor where I sometimes lie of an 
hour when tired is a favorite couch to Jimmy. 
I often wonder when he asks God to humble him. 
There's a strange peculiarity about this associat- 
ing with domestic quadrupeds. I've seen the cat 
behold us as much as to say, I don't belong where 
you do, and with a sense of adverse positions 



LIFE OF VIMMr' 87 

being necessary, it would spring upon the chair. 
I have seen Jimmy of a Friday evening and lying 
across the doorway so that coming in the door 
would be a great difficulty. I have seen him 
again, and resting almost underneath the stove, 
as though he was a part of the dust and ashes 
swept under the grate. God can use Jimmy be- 
cause he's so humble. One would regard his 
surroundings as sufficiently humble apart from his 
interceding for grace. The fact must be, or it's 
unaccountable any other way, that God can use 
a man, who has nothing and is nothing. 

Providing a man be stocked with plenty, he 
grows ungrateful. 

The time to rejoice is when we see Divine 
agency working on behalf of men. I could not 
see God's hand in my life with affluence ; I saw 
it and blessed it when I became poor. I can see 
God's hand preparing honey when we have no 
bread, and ministering to Elijah when he had no 
hope of either drink or food. It's true, that God 
is above circumstances, and in a thousand ways 
He can meet His children's needs, and at a time 
when they cannot see a single way possible for 
their provision. In brief, let it be always borne 
in mind, that God can only use man's impossibili- 
ties as a channel of blessing and grace. His abil- 
ity being infinite, can work miracles. His only 
opportunity is by the adversity and vicissitudes 
of men. I see little miraculous, and God can do 
little, because of unbelief. 



88 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

People full and with plenty close God's hand, 
as ''did full barrels stay the flow of oil under 
Elisha's hand/' Whereas, no wine at the feast 
made a miracle possible to Jesus. 

Men do so much there's no room left for God 
in which to show what power has been possible 
through our impossibilities. 

God is not far and yet not manifested. He is 
here and not here, seen and not seen, great and 
not comprehended, subjecting himself, but not 
known. ''He came unto His own, but His own 
received Him not.'' "God humbleth Himself to 
unfold the things that are in Heaven." Jimmy 
was all alive on coming in one day, and with these 
w^ords he met us, "Can you tell me who is most 
humble?" "God," was the reply he gave us to 
his own question. It struck him that God walked 
and with men, who were great sinners, either to 
instruct, teach, guide or redeem ; yea. He accom- 
panied mortals when others would blush, were 
they seen in company with characters so base. 
Humility is a leading to usefulness in God's 
hand, and faith alone can instruct in the path of 
usefulness; and a man has faith only as far as 
he has humility. 

Faith, then, is the possession of humble Jimmy, 
and all because he has grace, not to lie upon the 
floor, but to be in humble circumstances and not 
feel ashamed. 

God bless him while he doses, and arouse him 
and benefit some who never weary of his accu- 



LIFE OF VIMMr' 89 

rate truth, for that he walks with God in paths 
of unnotoriety and minus fame. 

Wait and see. Patience has not been greatly 
a common gift. It's a great, but infrequent a 
grace. It's the possession of men great, and makes 
them very wise. 

It's not all hurry that's good, and very likely 
to be enduring. It's possible to be at leisure, and 
during that leisure exercise patience that gives 
discretion. 

Patience gives instruction ; it employs the best 
means, and does a great work, well worthy of 
the name of God. Good comes to those who 
wait, and not evil. The mischief is wrought by 
impatience. ''Wait" is so oft repeated in God's 
Word, and that because men are so utterly un- 
able to wait. It needs commands and prohibi- 
tions as frequent or infrequent as will make a 
man observe the one or the other. ''Wait," a 
hundred times addressed, cannot prevent or com- 
mand a man who has no patience. Inability to 
wait is a token that faith is also absent. Patience 
and faith are necessary to each. 

Jimmy has an intricate case in hand just at this 
moment. He has been thrown in contact with a 
house where enchantments are more or less in 
vogue. This will be a bomb amongst such asso- 
ciation, that is, Jimmy's associating himself with 
this said house. He has a man not imbibed with 
seductive and pernicious doctrines, and yet there's 
absolute necessity for his being wrenched from 



90 LIFE OF VIMMY'' 

his sneaking regard for what savors of sin, and 
leading to sorrow, Satan and death. 

Spirituah'sm for some time is in the ascendency. 
I have blown fire over it, and ''suffer not a witch 
to Hve." If it's wTong to kill a witch it's wrong 
to kill a man who does anything else that's op- 
posed to God's laws. I have no room for fortune- 
telling, which is a shoot of the wicked one, and 
such as mutter and peep; and spiritualism is a 
form of witchcraft, insomuch that the witch of 
Endor called up God's prophet from his grave. 

There's much wrong in being curious to an- 
alyse these inventions spiritual and not conform- 
ing to our Lord and Saviour Jesus. There's no 
spirit apart from the Holy Ghost, which is of 
God, and no medium apart from Jesus Christ; 
and whatever may be done of a spiritual order 
and not reconcilable to the name of God's Son, 
we condemn and expose as fanatical, misleading 
and of the devil. Take the thousands who are 
wrecks because of giving themselves up to se- 
ducing spirits. Seek not enchantments. 

O^ one thing we are assured, and that Jimmy 
can frustrate all heil with the great prevailing 
name Jesus Christ, the Son of God. There's no 
man or angel can frustrate Jimmy in propagating 
the Gospel of Christ, and ousting all evil spirits 
in the power of the Holy Ghost. 

We broke bread, to observe Jesus' express 
wish in remembrance of His love, and continue 
this ordinance every last Sunday of every month. 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 91 

Jimmy always hands the tokens of mercy to 
those who commune with their Lord. 

Last evening we saw great manifestations, co- 
incident with this sweet service. It was from 
kneeling Jimmy rose quick as light and came by 
a very clean white cloth, certainly proper, and 
wSpread it over the prepared bread and covered 
the wine, thereupon one or two prayed and others 
sang a verse of their choosing, before Jimmy 
passed from one to another with the representa- 
tive body of our Lord. 

Then after a prayer he followed with the cup, 
representing the blood that was shed for many. 
A most simple ceremony and one very impressive. 
Our funds are small, but our church is rich, and 
with grace so manifoldly furnished in desiring 
the execution of God's commands and desires for 
those who believe on His Son. 

Our collections are made among our small 
number of members; and it's ''a church in a 
house," and scriptural a basis for its formation. 
We collect by placing a cup in the centre of the 
table that anyone who has a desire may place 
therein. No begging, no fearing, no poverty. 

Jimmy's faith is adhesive. He furthers his 
cause with great tenacity of purpose. Faith is a 
clinging to Christ, a seeking to lay hold of the 
Saviour. He was concerned often about this 
matter, and longed to be nearer, and to hold 
Christ with every namable power. IVe never 
known another set himself so resolutely on ap- 



92 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

prehending Christ. He never ceased his longing, 
and never will. Faith is a clinging to Christ's 
cross — no definition can be adequate, and that's 
why we are slow to say what it is ; many can 
make it a subject of many orations. 

Faith performed is better than theoretical. 
Faith is only a name if not put into works. Faith, 
as says Jimmy, is having a thing and gripping it, 
never letting go. Now, faith in Christ may be 
different to any other kind — it's to have, says 
Jimmy, our minds, and thoughts, and eyes always 
on Christ. He never has anything else in view, 
for he talks nothing else. 

Christ with him is "all and in all." ''Out of 
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." 
Surely, Jimmy has Jesus at heart, or he could 
never have Him so consistently in his mouth. 
''He that confesseth Me before men I will also 
confess before My Father which is in Heaven." 

This is a great joy to Jimmy, and if anyone 
confesses Jesus all the day and in every way, 
it's our hero. He must be positively happy for 
no other reason than that he confesses Jesus 
all the time, and God blesses him, and anoints 
him with joy, because of his readiness to own 
his Lord. 

Assiduously he clings to Christ ; he never slack- 
ens. I never knew him tire. He will work from 
morn till night and preach to as many as care to 
listen all night. He never gives in; never 
wearies. The name of Jesus keeps him bright, 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 93 

and his eyes only close when there's none to 
make him happy in proclaiming the Saviour. 
One will be great enough a congregation, if he 
only has some faint interest in Divine realities. 
Tve known Jimmy get up at four o'clock in the 
morning and be awake at twelve in the evening. 
He would say sometimes then, "Don't you go 
if you feel you are not through waiting upon 
God. Sit down a little while longer." I obey His 
voice, and it's very nearly God's voice to me at 
times. I only admit being led by men who I 
prove to be divinely led. 

It's great wealth to be attending one like 
Jimmy so constantly. I would rather visit him 
than anyone. I have similar ambitions and resort 
to his abode that my own hopes may be strength- 
ened, and that I may be enabled to battle my 
way to the cross. So great a divider of the ways 
that mark out a child's entrance in Heaven. If 
I knew nothing, if I never had been tied by 
human methods, and made to attend human and 
materialistic customs, I think, I, too, would be 
a better Christian, and a better follower of God's 
beloved Son. 

Jimmy is all plain and not tied with a custom, 
no, not even a namable one. I never knew a 
plain man in such a plain path, or one so un- 
taught, yet so soundly instructed. Never knew 
anybody so grossly regardless, nor anyone so 
profoundly correct. 

"A living epistle, known and read of all men." 



94 LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

A free man. A Christ's man. It's these super- 
fluous customs that make us utterly unable to 
further a career like our hero. He never was 
with big folks and never longs to be; he rather 
longs to be where God shows Himself, and God 
only manifests Himself to the humble, and makes 
known His ways to those that are meek. 

Jimmy's faith is of such a character that you 
feel the Divine presence directly you enter where 
he prays. I can give the most stirring testi- 
monies to prove this. A man, and sometimes 
many, followed him after his preaching. Enter- 
ing his house one would say, '^This is the church," 
when another would behold a white pigeon 
flying. The atmosphere was as heaven below. 
There was a subduing influence resting on 
Jimmy's home. Men could only be good when 
sitting in this little room. If they never called 
again they never forgot calling, though it may 
have been only once. I had a brother cross the 
sea and he called upon me on his way through to 
Canada. How rapt was his attention, and how 
careful to be good! I saw him kneel, and he 
arose not as he was before kneeling. 

Define these pages and make no reckoning of 
God? Scan these lines and doubt God's exist- 
ence? Behold this man and question there being 
a Redeemer? Then blindness and wretchedness, 
then darkness and despair. Cease to believe 
there's any truth and the daydawn will cause 
you to see it's all every word true. 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 95 

Worms shall eat them, and if generations come 
ere Christ comes, m.en will be born and will have 
gone. Jimmy will live when others not yet born 
will be dead. ''I will cause thy name to be re- 
membered in all generations.'' He has immor- 
talized himself and by the fact of Christ's life 
within. "I live, and yet not I, but Christ liveth 
in me." 

You cannot destroy the memory of a man of 
God, nor keep green the name of an infidel. 
They die and are not, for God is without those 
who fear not Him; whereas His children are 
ever fresh in the thoughts of all. Jimmy will be 
better known when called away than he is now, 
and that even here. His going to Heaven will 
be the beginning of his fame in the earth. 

With this man the Almighty can make the 
earth tremble. Then go ye to the humble ; main- 
tain their faith, and your fame will ever endure. 
Of one thing we must be careful to mention, 
and, that Jimmy always took off his shoes, never 
wore his shoes or anything but his socks when 
in the house. This may have been coincident 
with his holy walk with Deo; for it was ever 
made sacred to saints, what words were addressed 
to Moses : "Take thy shoes from off thy feet, 
for the place whereon thou standest is holy 
ground." 

He was as full of grace as any college man; 
and no grace man-taught, can be graceful apart 
from God instilled and imbibed by faith. "The 



96 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

law was given by Moses, but grace and truth 
came by Jesus Christ/' Jimmy was graceful. 
He learned of Christ. He was gentle. I believe 
him to be a man after God's own heart. 

It's growing harder to write this book, and 
simply because Jimmy's experience grows deeper 
every day, and more godly every hour. When 
one puts their hand to draw a good man their 
own penciling makes them ashamed. 

If I had to write my own life I could only 
write the bad, and for the simple reason I don't 
see much, if anything, that's good. If my writing 
goes on I don't know how bad I shall grow. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

HOPE sustains Jimmy. Faith and hope com- 
bined, his strong tower. "I'll believe to the 
last day of my life/' are words never any man's 
in the sense they are Jimmy's. I've heard from 
his lips what no man ever has nor ever will. We 
have our secrets, nor can they be marked down 
in this book, but mayhap that they are marked 
down in the book of remembrance in realms 
above. I have heard things expressed by Jimmy 
that he declares to be God's promise to him; 
and he believes they will be actualized by him 
before he dies. He may be regarded extreme, 
but nay, he believes all things to be possible and 
nothing impossible with Jehovah. Hope has a 
strong part in Jimmy's expectant life ; he is full 
of it. Never relaxes his grip, and hopes more 
when times are dark, for nothing that is seen 
can be a part of hope. ''If we hope for that 
we see not then do we with patience wait for 
it." We hope, but hope not as does our prophet. 
He doesn't hope and expect not. He has cause 
to believe that a thing will come to pass, and he 
so sets himself to apprehending it that hope 
brings it to pass. 

If Jimmy sets his mind to a thing it's not 
going to slip, for he's resolute and hopes against 
hope. Faith never gets defeated. Hope never 
discourages one that uses it. Hope is faithful 



98 LIFE OF VIMMY'' 

to its children and rewards them, if they but 
employ hope. 

''Hope maketh not ashamed." She will hand- 
somely recompense those who lay hold of her, 
and make themselves faithful in hoping, as hope 
is to reward. Yours to lay hold of this great 
champion hand of hope; she's sure to reward. 
You would do well to copy Jimmy in this, for 
he outstrips all, and wins all, for his optimistic 
hope. 

Yours to lay hold of the hope that's real, and 
not that flippant thing called hope, which is, 
alas, only a passing and weblike wish. Hope! 
hope! hope! 

Faith is seen with every new glimpse we have 
of Jimmy. He grows rapidly. He mellows 
daily. How much is left for him to receive we 
don't know; but certainly he comes by repeated 
greatnesses. Great men are not great by halves. 
His greatness is very nearly complete. 

I never knew a man assert so much which is 
not unreal. He is not guilty of presumption, 
nor does he wrong; nor does he only pretend. 
No, he is a real man — not a shadow of msin- 
cerity in all his being. He looks ahead, and gets 
by all he desires. He has a charm which, it 
seems, that Heaven cannot resist. He wills and 
it's executed. He is no supplanter, but a quali- 
fier for great callings. 

He never doubts. His atmosphere is faith: 
he believes and receives. He expects and comes 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 99 

by the greatest to be received. He's a great 
appropriator. 

He's never slow to take all that may be his; 
by any lawful means he makes his claim. 

Appropriative faith. This seems unscriptural, 
but for want of a better term we say, faith that 
appropriates all : it's to apprehend and make 
it the property of him who believes. 

Jimmy would never appropriate what was 
never his. But he has some subtle manner by 
which he pleads and says, ''God got to give me 
a dress of fire." He ever rejoiced in God's law 
and was almost wrath with those who did not 
keep it. For the man who gave not thanks was 
a thief. The man who professed infidelity he 
would scold; yea, more, he would say, "You 
great big thief you, you say there's no God!" 
knowing by their very profession they were un- 
grateful, knowing by their great wickedness that 
they never were thankful. 

He who gave God thanks did what was his 
duty, whereas he who gave no expressions of 
gratitude to Jehovah was unthankful and unfit 
to live. 

A day was when a man came over to his stand 
and began to curse for that it rained; he was 
then purchasing some fruit for himself. There- 
upon our Jimmy called his attention to a few 
lovely bunches of grapes ; he said at each con- 
sideration of each bunch, ''Look there, what the 
rain did !" He taught this wretch what he was 

4-ofa 



100 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

silent to hear, and ''J^^^Y expounded that the 
rain brought food, and proved also that the rain 
made him grow." After devouring his pur- 
chase he walked silently away. Yours to be 
thankful, mine too; give thanks at all times. 

This brings to our minds that Jimmy is obese. 
He is corpulent, very. It's astonishing how ac- 
tive a man can be even when so fat and robust. 
Stout and strong; I don't think he fasts often. 
He doesn't believe much in it. I once heard 
him preach in the afternoon of a day given, when 
we baptized three men and returned to Canal 
and Mulberry Streets to preach. He had only 
very slight refreshments in the early morning, 
and preached about four p. m., having had no 
dinner. I must say he never preached so well 
in his whole career as did Jimmy on the day 
when he fasted. I don't want to say much on 
the subject; I only say that prayer and fasting 
is in the Christian faith, and is bound in the 
book concerning our Testator. Jimmy waits for 
God to call upon him before he can see clearly 
that fasting is at all necessary. 

Fasting ; — Christians all should try it ; it's not 
dangerous, it's good. I would advise giving that 
saved to some needy or deserving. Fasting can 
be very great a means for good; good for the 
body and specially good, too, on behalf of the 
soul. Fast, to save a doctor's bill, and to help 
somebody more hungry. Grow, not get obese. 

It's not a thing to be despised to see anyone 



LIFE OF VIMMY'' loi 

corpulent; it's not at any rate a mark of glut- 
tony. It's constitutional very largely, and one 
can flourish where another can starve. Jimmy 
won't live to be more than twelve years older. 
Let me be quite safe in my prophecy, and add, 
not twelve years more than being a hundred 
years old. He has symptoms of passing suddenly. 
Short-necked folks give little warning, and yet 
they have lived to be old no less because of 
necessitating a collar very high, for that a nar- 
row one was high, and is for Jimmy. He has 
no pride in respect of collars, and yet a little 
neat bow, not always black, becomes him. 

I'm slow tO' say anything about Jimmy's great 
wife; great in kindness, great in proportion to 
Jimmy, she being a little taller, and is a very fine 
type of an Italian country woman. You never 
met such a woman — quiet and wise. She's fur- 
nished Jimmy when he has been void of an- 
other's aid. 

It's astounding what things are wrought by 
God. 'Twould be superfluous to state again 
what has already been referred to, but we must, 
ere going on, narrate what a pattern Jimmy's 
wife IS to all women living near and about her. 
She's as great a light as can at any time be 
found. She preaches by a beautiful life; most 
devoted to her husband, whom she loves much. 
This much to give honor to a wise woman and 
show a good wife to be reckoned with a hus- 
band's life story. 



102 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

She would resort to make confession to the 
priest, just to show Jimmy she disregarded his 
new faith ; and Jimmy soon prayed her to pray 
with him. She's very wise in helping to dispel 
Jimmy's inquirers' doubts. One thing we must 
assert, that is, she's as great in her judgment 
as Jimmy, and can give great wisdom in speech. 
But to make our book not too extensive it must 
suffice to have given his wife so much space. She 
has her place in the world and fills it right loy- 
ally ; fills it uniquely ; fills it with honor. 

Buffoonery is absent from their home, and yet, 
to say it's dull would be gross wrong. I never 
laughed more than with this happy, sunshine 
family. It's been my choice medicine. For the 
most part you can see everyone smiling, sweetly 
happy, and jovial with simpHcity. It's beautiful 
to mark how all join in enjoying the same thing; 
conversation is bright, and sometimes witty. I'm 
happy to be so much with such a heavenly family. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

TURNING from the bright to the more telHng 
and from playtime to toihng, we insert to 
follow accurately our argument regarding the 
kind of man Jimmy is in using that great 
champion piece of armory called faith. Faith 
must be associated with him all through, and 
God gracing the author of so great a life it must 
be so. 

Now faith was the particular attribute of 
Elijah. Faith was the secret of his power. No 
man outstrips this giant; he excelled, and does 
still. Faith was Jimmy's, and he believed God 
would give him the spirit of Elijah. I've great 
cause to insert that he was not so vain as to say 
he was what so many call themselves — Elijah 
III. He was not vain, and not foolish and not 
absurd, and not false. I never knew what I 
know now, and I have reason to say that if 
Elijah is manifested he is manifested in James 
Meccia. 

I don't call him Elijah, I call him Jimmy. 

If you, reader, will follow me in this and with 
fairness, you may see that nothing incorrect will 
be penned, or anything that violates scripture. 

Now John the Baptist was to go before Christ 
in the spirit and power of Elijah. But he was 
not Elijah. He said so. He took upon himself 
only that God imposed. He said, ''I am the voice 



104 I-IPE OF ''JIMMY" 

of one crying in the wilderness." From another 
aspect he was Elijah, for what constitutes an 
Elijah is to have his mantle, a token of power, 
and emblematic of fire, or else of Spirit. It may 
be associated with storm. 

It was eloquent what EHjah figured in when 
there was an earthquake, a wind, a fire, — still 
more eloquent; — the still, small voice which God 
was in. 

John the Baptist was Elijah, who amply ful- 
filled Elijah's mission, but John's Lord not being 
received must be yet received, and the usherer 
may be another man and it may be Jimmy. 

The Lord's coming was surely his great sub- 
ject, and he would travel long distances to preach 
it and would say to a single man, "God sent me 
to tell you that Jesus will come soon." 

He believed often while praying that Jesus 
may come at any moment. "I see the heavens 
open," would be words not once spoken but 
often. The house had no roof apparently except 
that Jimmy could gaze right through it with an 
eagle's eye. 

He would dare anything in view of the return 
of his Lord. 

James is quick and ever ready to apprehend 
a matter. He's quick in maintaining an idea and 
sometimes, though compelled to acknowledge 
that he doesn't understand, it's not long ere he 
will find room for anything proferred, providing 
it's at all worth a place and his consideration. 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 105 

Jimmy has as much confidence as anyone, and 
would not hesitate to beUeve anything that was 
told him; providing it did not clash with his 
own sense of truth, and what may be termed 
spiritual judgment. , 

If I said that God revealed me a thing he would 
be ever impatient to hear what it was; if I 
heard him say that God had showed him any- 
thing, I would almost tremble for fear God had 
showed him something which I would not like 
anyone but God know. 

God does not reveal secrets, and makes no 
practice in betraying His children. He hides 
and covers; He doesn't justify one to condemn 
another. 

I often think of our error in company with 
one another; we would contend very warmly at 
intervals, and would, for the most part, be right, 
both of us. The trouble was a little narrowness 
of outlook; and whereas, one could further his 
own idea, the other would further his : but more 
explicit, did we say conviction, for convictions 
may be adverse and be right. It would end well 
after much debate, and almost nearing a space of 
suspended joy. Jimmy would ultimately say a 
'Traise God!" and then all would vanish, spec- 
ially if I added "Amen V 

I've known him test people by this very blessed 
practice. 'Traise God!" would take the breath 
away of some people, and they didn't care for 
too many "Praise Gods." 



io6 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

The introductions he had from one to another 
would be almost bewildering. If a friend of 
Jimmy's met him, and in company with another 
he would say, ''Do you know Jimmy? He's a 
servant of God,'' 'Traise God!" or 'Traise the 
Lord!" would be Jimmy's mode of expressing 
his pleasure in making another friend. A gentle- 
man met him on one occasion, and, turning to a 
lady then with him, he added, "Have you ever 
met Jimmy? He's got something, this man." 
Ah! the man who expressed these words had 
something, too, viz., good sense. For nothing 
could be so stupid for people when talking to 
Jimmy, to say, ''Yes, Jimmy, I understand, and 
I understand." 

In short, they understood nothing, but treated 
him as simple, and when they might have learned 
wisdom, did they but acknowledge how little 
they understood. He could instruct, did they 
but know that they knew not. It occurs to me 
to announce how in our contention Jimmy and 
I would not square well, until we said, "Now 
we are all wrong; we are waiting for God to 
justify one, and expose the other." God, loving 
two children equally, has no little concern when 
one is getting over, or getting the best of the 
other. Now, nonessentials are the cause of con- 
tention, and they arise from pride; and never 
do we remember what rebuke Christ gave His 
disciples, nor what was involved, when He 
showed them what washing one anothers' feet 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 107 

did mean. The word of God must have suffi- 
cient say, and we exclude, if possible, our own 
commenting on the career of a man greatly 
beloved. 

How much need be added, God alone be 
judge. 'Tis enough to write as I feel guided. 
I lay no claim to verbal inspiration, or write 
by method or plan. 

True, I enjoy that written, for it's so much 
sacred; not a pastime, but an eternal benefit, 
both to writer and to believing reader. 

It's largely a blind work no less, and only 
eventful an one ; it's not great but prefaced as 
incidental. 

If Jimmy is not Elijah he does Elijah's work. 
He slays all the priests. I once heard of a mem- 
ber or associate of a Catholic Church coming to 
him and saying, ''The priest calls down fire from 
Heaven and asks God to burn you street preach- 
ers all to cinders." Jimmy then added, ''You go 
and tell the priest that we pray for him." But 
no priest could stand to hear Jimmy's vindictives, 
or show his face when Jimmy was charged, and 
when he wielded a sword all furbished. The 
judgments of God are all manifest, and no Elijah 
could do more than is being done; for God 
allows no man since Christ to wing the flame 
from Heaven. "Christ came not to destroy but 
to save men's lives." 

Now Jimmy goes the whole length, and gives 
words of great penetrative a character ; he talks 



io8 LIFE OF VIMUr' 

about killing people and he does ; and about cut- 
ting their heads oflf and he does. And all he 
uses to devastate sin is to proclaim God's Word 
which says, ''I have hewed them by My proph- 
ets," and, ''What escapes Jehu shall Elisha slay." 
The tolling of the Catholic bell would aggravate 
Jimmy, and he would seek God with dreadful 
and fiery prayer, ''God, stop that devil's bell!" 

The Pope was hell's chief ; the priest one counted 
to be slaughtered. Since Jimmy made all these 
things heard amidst tons of Catholics, he must 
have them printed and combined in his life. 
Here is his courage, and here is his zeal, and 
here "the angel of the Lord encampeth round 
about him." 

"You people can't preach against the Catho- 
lics," would be his word of rebuke to Church 
people in Protestant communities; "if you did 
you would get killed, for you have no power 
from God." His words to hypocrites, who made 
great profession, were scathing and alarming, 
for against the power of his words no man could 
stand. The house of hypocrites as well as the 
house of the wild ass God will make a wilder- 
ness. 

There's awful hypocrisy to-day, and loud pro- 
fessors are great hypocrites. Be modest, be 
plain, be simple. Be wise and give no high- 
sounding cymbal a blow till you have found your 
way to the cross. When there we shall only hear 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 109 

one cry, and that will be humble an one, some- 
thing like the pubHcan's prayer or Wesley's song, 

Can my God His wrath forbear, 
Me, the chief of sinners, spare? 

"The waters were hid as with a stone." Twelve 
months since Jimmy cried out from between his 
hands and kneeling, ''Brother, I can see a new 
pair of shoes for you in your country ; they wait 
over there for you." Then I had no thoughts 
of visiting England during July of 1907; since 
that he says he can see me over there preaching, 
and even saw the little cottage where, D. V., I 
hope to reside, a place named "Gullett," South- 
pool Creek, Kingsbridge, Devonshire — the neigh- 
borhood of my boyhood. 

'T can see it," said he, ''a house close by the 
water, and trees and long grass all round the 
sides of it." The curtains are spread without 
my window, and appear to be as near the win- 
dow of my room as they are Heaven's vesti- 
bule. They are a rich, deep blue and near Royal. 
The color is too lovely for words, and the eye 
can alone enjoy the hue; the mind knows not, 
and only can say. Behold ! 



N 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

OW unto Him that keeps us, who neither 
slumbers nor sleeps, let us yield — 

Praise God from whom all blessings flow, 

Praise Him all creatures here below; 

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host, 

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

God looks for gratitude and sometimes finds it. 

The Saviour was not unconcerned that only 
one of ten lepers returned to give thanks. The 
Lord will give, for that He delighteth thus; 
but how great His pleasure when we yield praise 
to His name, none can well know. 

God looks not gluttonously, or is he pacified 
because men praise. But one thing is patent 
to all, and no man praises Him whose life is 
not righteous and consistent with Divine claims 
of justice. 

A righteous man we see to be a happy man, 
and he that loveth mercy and followeth justice 
with all. 

Jimmy would not be so interesting if bereft of 
a grateful soul, a thankful heart. Jimmy never 
sheds tears so much as when God shows him how 
good he is to him, and never weeps as much as 
when he weeps with joy. Gratitude to God, 
thanks to His great name ! 



LIFE OF VIMMr' iii 

I never knew a happy man to be a weak one. 

If a man can laugh he can work. Rob men 
of joy and you rob yourselves of good service, 
which would be yours did you employ men to 
labor in your concern. Men are not to be de- 
nounced for getting wealthy so much as they are 
to be condemned for being positively ungrateful, 
despite the quality and amount of service they 
have rendered. 

They grow as ungrateful as they grow rich, 
a thing that condemns more than we know. Oh ! 
how vile a thing to be unthankful ! 



CHAPTER XIX. 

JIMMY will shine when earth's greater light 
will have run his course and completed its 
last round. It's great, but a man can endure 
and longer than a sun which has endured for 
thousands of years. 

A glory gilds the sacred page, 

Majestic, like the sun. 
It gives a light to every age; 

It gives, but borrows none. 

And so do all who make God's word their 
light. 

The time will be and now is when men will 
grow light and brighter. 

The time has been and still remains for men 
to distinguish themselves in the words of Scrip- 
ture, "So let all Thine enemies perish, O Lord, 
but let them that love Him be as the sun when 
he goeth forth in his might." 

Mockers end their life and so they go down 
to death and ill-fame. The righteous are not so, 
and men are dumb when a saint breathes his last 
and is taken ''by the highway into the field." 

A man God sent can be a greater power in 
death than life. Samson slew more in his death 
than in his life. Samson knew it was going to 
be his sport. They put out his eyes and taunted 
a blind giant and mocked him. Fun was great, 
but men who make a giant their sport will be in 
a sorry plight when such an one awakes. 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 113 

I never knew a God-sent man whose blood 
did not torment the men who revolted and were 
not subject to his command. 

Time will yet show what things are wrought, 
both against and for a man of God. 'Tis true 
that a man suffering will be a great cause of 
condemnation for those who cause his suffering. 
God will devastate all wealth and defame all 
ungodly honor, and defend the cause of His 
saints and justify His man. 

The law may be great and is, God making it, 
but he who keeps God's law is greater than the 
man who makes laws for a nation. Good men 
govern, and were it not for such we should have 
no law; for law is made, however much ques- 
tioned, and for the express purpose of defend- 
ing the man good. 

The nation which respects not God's law will 
have its own laws torn from its own walls ; and 
he fitted to do it is the one who makes a law to 
be kept wherein it suffers conformity to the law 
of Jimmy's God. 

If a man came for Jimmy's ''Preaching Per- 
mit" and he actually kept the law, for why I 
suppose he knew; personally I don't. A man 
should not depend on a material law granting 
a license to preach a Gospel that endures longer 
than the sun, whose own self registers a thou- 
sand generations which may pass, and leaves no 
mark on any dial that cannot be obscured. 

Yours to burn all permits to preach. 



114 LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 

I had none and never will ; I can die in silence. 
I am as independent of a nation as they are of 
me. Stop a message from God and you put 
your own nation, did you know it and even its 
honorable records, against the curb. 

''Command and I'll obey." It's not at all 
likely that any man God sends will go to a man 
to know if he can be allowed to speak on 
behalf of God. True it is, that our man 
offers peace, and whatever is said about him 
coming by preaching permits, is no reason for 
saying that he would not dare to preach with- 
out any. 'Tm free" would be his word to 
any one who thought it not becoming that he 
should preach any more. If he had a permit 
taken away he would preach just the same. If 
he was forbidden to preach without such a li- 
cense, his own words are, 'Td go up on the 
roof and preach." Of course he would, for a 
man God sends opens his mouth, and if another 
mouth be opened beneath the chin as well as 
above, that man would preach from two gaping 
mouths. So let no man go for preaching per- 
mits, for no man needs any except that one 
given by God which is God's permit — God's com- 
mand. Yours to seek God's permit and keep 
silent until you get one, and when God sends 
you don't ask a man to allow you to preach 
again. 

I know why he goes to the Alderman to get 
a preaching permit. I am going myself. 



CHAPTER XX. 

66117 HATSOEVER passeth through the paths 
'' of the seas." There's many paths and 
not less than seven seas. There are many masts 
and many torpedoes. They each fly over the 
seas and with great velocity. There's no more 
subtle an engine for destroying than the torpedo, 
nor none more awful when it explodes. 

The matter before us is to see how much can 
be done, which can go far to undermine any 
wrongs, whether individual or collective ; whether 
of a man or a nation. There's no good acquired 
if we moan, for faith is a spur to do: Believe 
and act. It's much considered now as to what 
can be done which will enliven every depart- 
ment, both commercial, social, educational and 
spiritual. Certain it is that a revival is essential, 
and ere it comes to pass no good can ever be 
acquired. Why doesn't it begin, and whjcre, 
when and how? It's been prayed for; it's been 
sought for : but it's not forthcoming. It's neces- 
sary; why has it been so long delayed? 

We give a few striking causes, and those 
Jirnmy's eyes have been opened to see, and if he 
has not told us them we know them none the 
less. 

There's hypocrisy that wants crushing, and 
refinement unreal that wants violating. There's 



ii6 LIFE OF VIMUr' 

pride to be demolished ; which things are preva- 
lent and actually conversant, with church goers 
and church members. 

''Be not proud," but alas! it's seen all day. 
It's been seen when nothing need be seen but 
Christ. If it's essential to write what is both 
destructive and uncompromising we do it. It's 
no good writing and avoiding truth. Indeed, 
there's no truth held out in our midst much to- 
day. It would be well, at this election 1906, if 
we just preached to Aldermen. The reason 
there's so much falsehood everywhere is because 
the basis of political government is all too un- 
real. It's no good to further a cause which is 
false, or propagating terms which cannot be 
reconcilable to God's oracle. 

I'm concerned about my city. And why? I 
can clearly relate. It's not any good to pretend 
doing God's will; for men alone are concerned 
and God's will never admitted, never counted, 
never engaged, never sought. It's high time 
some bomb was thrown of more weight than that 
of anarchy. Let men who are willing do a bit 
of suffering and thus preserve your State. 

How can rebels be crushed but by freedom 
of voice and freedom of action? When God 
speaks who will not fear? The Lord God speak- 
ing, none can but prophesy. 

"Ye stand upon your sword," a word too fre- 
quently true. If applied well it would give no 
rest. You may depend on a sword being neces- 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 117 

sary, yea, many. It's all too clear it's only an 
ornament. It's been hammered on the anvil and 
made suitable to show. It's not of that order 
when men made their sword and for use. 

It's been pricking some and already they have 
come to believe that they have swords to be 
made serviceable, and to be used in freedom's 
name. 

What can be done by me for a huge nation? 
Yea, more, for a huge world? Yea, still more, 
for a great God? Do His will, and do it with 
courage. Do it, but find out, in the first case, 
what it is He would have you do. Get en- 
thused, not cranky. Get God-inspired, not intoxi- 
cated with world fever, and madly opposed to 
God's will by employing material or worked-up 
enthusiasm. Get charged, not qualify to be dis- 
charged; get employed, not work void of en- 
gagement. So many are doing badly, because 
they do anything. 

How active men are and how ready to do 
something, and yet they should be still and know 
they cannot do anything. 

It's so much a cause of sorrow to see unfitted 
mortals supplanting the fittest, and doing what 
it takes others many years to undo. 

To do a wrong thing is bad when sometimes 
to do nothing is good. For waiting for a suit- 
able season is preparation for working when 
that season comes. Yours to secure the best 
means of employment, and yours to lay hold of 



ii8 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

what opportunity comes, but be ready to strike 
when your enemy shows himself. Be also ready 
to let live what is not detrimental to the world. 

Be never in haste, and never too slow ; always 
ready, but never incapacitated through hurrying. 
Be instant in season ; be vigilant ; be ready. 

There's opportunities for everyone, and they 
are offered, but do men seize them? Not often; 
not too frequently. The world needs men, and 
God will send them, and men of soldierly shape 
and everyone carrying a sword. 

There's a sword which is sharper than that 
with two edges. It's God's Word, and it has 
to be published. 

Men don't herald it, they only pretend to do 
so; they don't command, they succumb to every 
whim of fancy. They are not God-sent, and 
therefore cannot do much ; they can do nothing. 
The man to wield God's word must be no crip- 
ple, no undergraduate ; he must needs be guided 
by all strengthening support. His word must 
be forgotten and God's ever instilled. It's with 
me to preach some day. 

Jimmy has been preaching, but somebody 
must soon take his place; and if they can get 
his sword as a legacy, or his zeal as a cloak, 
and the God of Elijah for the dividing of Jordan, 
it's very probable yet that something will give 
way and break before such equipment as God 
gives to those He sends — God's Word and com- 
mand. 



LIFE OF VIMMY'' 119 

I've known men govern by that, and one with 
a charge of this kind can fix the world, or turn 
it and revolve it against its present course. 

Yours to stand for God, but don't proceed 
unless He calls. Pray, reader; only learn to 
wait. Better be silent than speak unadvisedly. 
Better be still than proceed with no charge. 

Dead bodies can do little but chase men, and 
if we want men held in tact there must be live 
bodies. Not so much gainseekers, not falsehood, 
but what is, alas! too uncommon, viz., truth. 
Yours, friend, to go from this field of battle 
and never show your face any more. 

I bid my reader adieu. 



CHAPTER XXL 

TURNING to our hero, he came up to see 
me on Saturday, last week, and walked in 
front of me where I labored. I don't know 
what brought him, for he never appeared just 
like that at any time till now. He said, as I 
showed my customer some goods, ''I don't know 
what I've come for," but for some reason ''he 
knew the Lord had sent him." I dispatched 
him to wait outside for me, and when I met 
him he told me his latest case of Divine reve- 
lation. 

On Friday evening he called, as was supposed, 
to see the doctor ; and after a few minutes' wait- 
ing he declared that the doctor would not be 
there that evening, and thereupon advised the 
anxious, waiting visitors and patients to go 
home, taking his own hat and leaving to set an 
example. The next day he called and said, 
''Doctor, you weren't here last night." 

"No, I didn't come home during the whole 
night," rejoined the doctor. 

Then Jimmy told him the Lord told him he 
wouldn't be there that night. So that excited 
the doctor's inquiry as to how the Lord spoke 
to him. It's hard to explain such a thing to 
one to whom God does never speak. 

He slept with me until four a. m. Sunday, and 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 121 

then declared God showed him a broom in his 
hands wherewith he swept men all about on the 
same day while preaching in his own church, 
full of great fame. 

I heard him for about two hours, and there 
was but little intermission except a prayer and 
a song, just occasionally. 

I suppose he was aggravated e'er through by 
a representative of our Government asking him 
if he had a permit (strange that the same man 
stood for about one and a half hours before 
asking such a question) ; Jimmy knew this, and 
repHed, ''Can't you wait until I'm through?" 

''No, I can't," was the reply. 

So Jimmy found his permit. 

I heard another man preaching not far from 
where Jimmy stood a little later, and the same 
policeman order him as if he was speaking to 
some Greek selling peanuts in the park. 

No respect for God's messenger made notice- 
able, and the youth, knowing the law, went a 
little into the street, but not without a preaching 
license. He was stubborn because of the man 
that didn't respect him. So, standing in the 
gutter by the curb, he said to the police, "Now 
then, sir, I stand where I have right to stand, 
without a permit; and you can shift the people. 
But don't put your hand on me ; for if you do, 
you are doomed." 

This made a greater crowd, but the youth 
never moved neither lip nor frame. This to 



122 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

show how much a man is respected when he 
doesn't preach in a cathedral; but Christ never 
did, and He was greater than all that ever 
preached. 

It's the same with the servant as with his 
Lord; they get co-equal disregard. There was 
a great famine of preaching when Samuel was 
called ; there was no open vision. If God is not 
taken into account He will not honor any policy. 
If God is despised He also will despise. Give 
Him honor ere too late, that He may also honor, 
which thing God delighteth to do. 

Jimmy bought a pair of black woolen gloves 
when calling to see me; and he, taking oflE his 
collar to go to bed was heard to say, "Thank 
God for clean collar." He would bless God a 
thousand times when calling on me, and he called 
about three or four times only, all told. ''Bless 
the Lord!" would almost be with every breath. 

It's about time he knelt before retiring to rest, 
and I feel sure he prays for me every time he 
prays when I'm absent. 

To-morrow I hope to find him rejoicing with 
some new story to tell, something very precious 
to those who love Jimmy's Lord. 

I'll bid my reader good night. 

Jimmy looks well to-day ; among ''the fat and 
the strong." He watches his little stand with 
as much care as his God watches His children; 
I suppose, not quite so much, for God watches 
as none other can. 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 123 

It's been with him to say little on to-day's 
interview. I hoped for something very note- 
worthy, but am obliged to curtail my hopes and 
abbreviate my writing. I know other things 
must follow, and shall be glad if they follow 
soon, in haste, to see this volume published and 
put into the hands of thinking, devout folks. 

He did say just now that he heard me say, 
''Bless the Lord!" I thought it worth remark- 
ing that he added, ''Amen!" and thereupon re- 
joiced. 

God is as welcome at Jimmy's house when his 
wife washes as at any other time. It's very note- 
worthy how very blessed a peace rests upon this 
little Bethel. It's no good to apologize for pay- 
ing a visit on such a busy day, for that would 
be enough to finish washing and turn it into 
a prayer meeting straight away. 

I've just been asked if I have eaten anything; 
there's welcome on washing day. 

Thou whose hand thus far hath led me, 
Wheresoever my path may be, 

Lord, I pray that Thou wilt ever 
Draw, and keep me near to Thee. 

Jimmy remarked, too, that he felt far away 
from God both yesterday and to-day. Did you 
see him some days you would wonder why God 
even saved him. He's a marvel of God's notice. 
I think God sees as being precious what men 
would kick aside as being utterly useless. Blessed 



124 I-IPE OF ''JIMMY'' 

are a man's eyes when they are opened to see 
what God sees and behold what kind of man 
God's son died for. 

Surely, Jimmy is like his Master, of whom it 
was said, ''As a root out of a dry ground, with- 
out form or comeliness, with no beauty with 
him that we should desire him.'' 

How much could be told of great merit, and 
yet we have it so with us to waste time nor 
space. 

Time being we have a rest and this book 
must be left until the more weighty matters are 
in readiness. 

Enough to say our last interview with Jimmy 
was a very joyful one; he laughed merrily and 
rejoiced exceedingly. 

Say there's no joy in believing and we recom- 
mend you to our pattern; he's a Samson for 
strength and a monarch of joy. I heard him 
chuckle over the idea of the policeman going 
to report himself; he was evidently frightened 
in case he had not sufficiently considered his 
district ministers. He thought probably that, 
offending two street clergy, he had better secure 
his character from any tarnish and prevent, if 
possible, any fine. As it happened, nobody else 
reported him — not considered worth while. 

Adieu. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

A NOTHER rainy day, but Jimmy preached. 
" I saw and heard what some stood with 
umbrellas to heed : I saw him very hot and wet 
with perspiration as well as with rain. 

He preached about riches and he thanked God 
for the rain. He never stops, no matter what 
weather. It's all one, and it takes more rain 
than ever fell to put Jimmy's candle out. The 
Lord has lit it, and it will be bright ere Jimmy 
goes where there's no need of a candle, for the 
Lord Himself is the Hght thereof. Cities are 
dark and need such lights as we portray, and 
if some cities are darker than others that's no 
cause for dispensing with such lights as are 
beacons in all the world. Surely, no city is 
without its light, and New York needs a great 
light, and it is seen in our sample of bright 
shining for Jesus. It's salt that preserves and 
arrests putrefaction. It's a light that lightens 
and drives all darkness ; and only by visible light 
is such darkness, as sin makes, made to disap- 
pear. The light of men is Christ, and those 
whom Christ sends He shines through. 

I heard him say this afternoon (for he took 
rest in sleep after dinner to-day), 'T knelt down 
in my room and asked the Lord to show me 
something, but," said he, ''the Lord showed me 



126 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

nothing/' I did hear him say that while kneel- 
ing he saw my small portmanteau, and that in 
which this work is locked, during intervals of 
rest. 

I suppose this glimpse was a jogging my mind 
to interest myself again by writing thus. God 
was all Jimmy could read to-night while perusing 
my Bible, and, as is his wont, after placing spec- 
tacles over his nose. He does look clever with 
glasses, but not proud. 

He took another Bible and couldn't see the 
name greater than good — even ^'God" — so he 
placed it aside and concluded God was not there. 
It's not small, for who shows our man such a 
name, or why should that name arrest his at- 
tention? Is it small that he reads not God's 
name and in continuance with other events, and 
while reading the name God is it of vital im- 
portance for him to read another, or a subject 
more explicit? I suppose if a very learned 
speaker, even an eloquent orator, placed a Bible 
upon its rest and in the presence of a huge 
audience simply read the name, and with a 
moment or two's pause, commented on the 
August Person, it would be thought very pro- 
found. Yea, and so was our attention fastened 
to Jimmy's profundity; and we heard him read 
as though he was that learned man and a very 
scholar. 

''Good is the word of the Lord," said Heze- 
kiah, and greater is the name of God than aught 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY" 127 

else; so Jimmy saw it, and it makes Jimmy 
great. God associates men with Him and they 
immortalize themselves. 

Remembering the suffering and the holes 
made in Christ's hands is a spur to us. It's very 
agreeable sometimes to yield to our human and 
ease-loving desires. 

I am little disposed to write this evening ; nor 
would I have ever imdertaken this task for any 
thing short of a sense of duty. I only fulfil what 
I believe to be a duty when tracing an outline 
of a very profound and godly man. 

He said to-night that thie reason so many 
people make a profession of Christianity is be- 
cause their hearts were never broken, and their 
change not that of having the hard heart taken 
away and the soft one imparted. 

"The reason people are not always consistent 
followers of Christ/' says Jimmy, ''is that they 
never had their hearts smashed, and God cannot 
enter that one which is hard." He added, that 
when people pray God doesn't hear it even. He 
said it's only when the heart breaks and when 
a man cries out of a broken one that God hears. 
I believe in Jimmy's theology ; and it's gone far 
to clear away some existing difficulties I ever 
entertained; I could never understand how it 
was people professed Christianity, both prayed 
and preached fine, but afterwards denied what 
they professed, and felt ashamed that they were 
known at any time to have been so stupid as to 



128 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

make such a parade of being themselves at all 
rehgious. 

It's astonishing what title Jimmy bears, and 
what qualified him to be enrolled with the clergy. 
The first man who addressed him ''Reverend 
James Meccia'' was a Mayor; and a number 
of other gentlemen, not very inferior in rank, 
are often known to have sent him commissions 
and announcements, etc., etc., with the great 
title which he declares to be his gift from God. 

''Reverend Meccia." I suppose it's an honor 
chiefly applied to men and members of a theo- 
logical school, whose theology and examinations 
have been sufficiently approved as amongst the 
list of honorable gentlemen qualified to be dig- 
nified with the superior appellation of "Rever- 
end." Now, Jimmy, a minister, but of God, 
bears the name and title of so many who are 
more noteworthy, and for that they are the 
ministers of men. He prayed God one night 
to show him a minister of His, and declared that 
if God showed him one in this city of New York 
he would go and wash his feet. But Jimmy's 
eyes were opened to a church, about middle of 
the city ; its name we won't give, and all below 
was not regarded, according to Jimmy, as hav- 
ing a minister of God presiding. 

I heard him say he saw Jesus on one occasion 
walk slowly into the porch of a church, and, 
reaching the entrance door all poorly clad, as a 
man forlorn and poorly regarded, he turned, and 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 129 

with a set of scales in his hands. They were 
not balanced, for they ascended and descended 
on either side, and alternately. Of course, 
Jimmy concluded there to be no salvation in this 
church; and yet we cannot name the particular 
church, for no one knows, not even Jimmy. It's 
well for us we know so little, and did one have 
more responsibility than that allotted to a single 
man, it would crush him, and impair him for 
the fulfilment of any one thing, and drive him 
to suicide, which spells endless despair. 

One day a neighbor came to borrow Jimmy's 
wash-tub. Jimmy said he couldn't lend it. It 
was Sunday and he wanted his tub to rest that 
day. Now, everyone knows Sunday to be spent 
carelessly by a gross majority in New York, 
and even some Christians, professing no alle- 
giance to Roman Catholicism, are careless as 
to what day they observe. Some revere Satur- 
day, the Jews' Sabbath; some are more Chris- 
tian, and respect the Sunday. This is plain, for 
all that is said in regard to the first day of the 
week and the seventh day of the week has no 
room for discussion in a work after the order 
of the one in hand. 

Seventh-day Sabbaths and first-day Sabbaths 
are kept, and by those professing Christianity. 
Surely, it goes without saying that the best fol- 
lowers of a leader of any sect is he who observes 
his leader's dates and red-letters such days as 
were associated with the fame of that leader. 



I30 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

If the resurrection is not a day of days then 
Christianity has no power; and if we observe a 
dead law, disannulled and kept by Him who 
raised from the dead, how can we any longer 
say we are Christians? 

If there be a greater day recorded than Easter 
Sunday we would like to know it, so to regard 
it and rest on such a sacred day. But surely, 
Jesus Christ, the founder of true religion, is the 
one to guide, and the greatest day to be regarded 
is the day of days, namely Sunday. 

Jimmy is a Sabbatarian, a strict observer of 
the day of rest — not Saturday, but Sunday. A 
better Christian than he who observes Saturday, 
and for why — we can give good reason. 

First, Jimmy intends to win some Jews to 
the Christian faith ; and how can he do it by 
observing their religion? The Jews are strong 
to observe levitical rites, despite so many years 
of Christ's pubhcity. 

If you go to them for a Sabbath, you better 
not preach any doctrine not combined in the 
law and the prophets. Surely the law cannot 
be kept apart from Christ; and ''Christ is the 
end of the law to everyone that believeth." 

Yours on behalf of Jimmy; another leaf out 
of his theological roll. 

Jimmy is profoundly and exquisitely clean. He 
used to take season tickets, and would invite me 
sometimes, during my vacation, to come with 
him, at his expense. He used to very regularly 



LIFE OF VIMMr' 131 

go, about as often as he could, and at midday. 
I am as fond of the sea as he, and readily did 
respond to swim and relish a healthy recreation, 
as can be enjoyed where bathing resorts are con- 
ducted as clean as becomes civilized races. 

He would not stand at price, and paid any 
money to have what was a good article, and even 
avoided cheap baths. He did come quickly from 
one set, who were not as well-behaved as be- 
comes men, when associating with those who 
are quite strangers to others attending. It's not 
meritorious for men, because they pay to oc- 
cupy all which others went far to purchase. 

The language may be curtailed when the 
mouth is more foul than the form, or else, need- 
ing more than salted sea to arrest its disease. 
Cleanliness should always be the purpose of those 
who bathe, and yet, uncleanness may equally be 
pursued. It's futile to narrate that a man is 
clean because he's fond of bathing; but the fact 
of Jimmy's cleanliness is the key to our hinting 
that penned. 

Be careful, gentle reader, to construe the un- 
intended preaching to no further an extreme 
than the author intended. 

Cleanliness is next to godliness, but cleanliness 
is the outcome of a clean life, and cleanliness an 
impossibility apart from godliness. 

A man once came into Jimmy's meeting and 
amazed everyone with his knowledge, and ac- 
tually preached cleanliness not approved of, for 



132 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

that he showed marks of tobacco. It's astonish- 
ing what Hght some men have as regards knowl- 
edge of rehgion. But alas! what have they 
that's real, or can they produce anything more 
practical than talk? Jimmy did not approve of 
this man's cleanliness, nor did any with Jimmy's 
mind; so this talkative offender got advised, 
since he got talking about Raleigh's introduce 
tion of potatoes, that he better go and learn how 
to chew potatoes and not tobacco. It's impos- 
sible to be ambitious above things crude, and 
almost rude. It's this way we see our hero ; and 
it's a duplicating his life, sayings and conduct. 
You never knew anyone more dainty or particu- 
lar, and Jimmy's refinement is godliness, and 
cleanliness the result. 

''Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth 
spieaketh," and never the slightest suggestion 
of anything unseemly ever crosses Jimmy's lips. 
It's impossible to construe aught said by him 
to savor anything but things rigidly sacred. 
Everything vulgar was obnoxious and called 
forth a stern, manly rebuke. 

He tells of a man who feigned much love for 
Jimmy and ultimately became a deadly foe. 
Of this man Jimmy had great hopes and would 
never have believed what afterwards became 
apparent, for this same man would talk the 
most obscene language and would perpetrate 
the foulest offence and to the detriment of an- 
other who professed humble allegiance to Jesus' 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 133 

teaching; this man has been blackmailed and 
now Jimmy threatens him with having passed 
the portals of penitence. . 

How true that out of the heart proceedeth that 
which defileth a man — not that going into the 
mouth, but that which cometh out. 

Wash and be clean, but oh ! men need go from 
their baths and, to be made clean, never reach 
any fountain for pure cleansing than that which 
is "open in the city of David for sin and all 
uncleanness.'' 

When contending with a man already por- 
trayed, no less than him who Jimmy prophesies 
as having a dark future, he, Jimmy, said to 
this man, ''If you think you are right and I am 
wrong, come and kneel down in the street with 
me, and we will pray God to show us who is 
wrong; maybe He would punish that one.'' For 
some reason the man took to his heels and slid 
off rapidly. 

Another time while preaching, a man was very 
persistent and to little purpose. While Jimmy 
hesitated as to what would be best to do with 
the man, another taller than he who persisted, 
came, and with his cap he thrashed the intruder 
severely, and with words to the effect that he 
knew the man and said he was crazy, adding to 
this the rejoinder, ''Go on home,'' and concluded, 
saying, "Oh, he's crazy; he's a friend of mine." 

Now, Jimmy's perspicacity made him rejoice 
over the absurdity of the man calling a crazy 



134 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

man his friend, and though he solemnly con- 
ducted the meeting, he afterwards was greatly 
amused that such a crazy folk attended his 
preaching. But not so, for these were excep- 
tional cases, and many attended who were not 
unlettered, and surely stood with great reverence 
to the close of his strange and extraordinary 
preaching. 

If Jimmy learns slowly from the Book of 
Books then he learns no less and is learned in 
arts which go to furnish a man with practical 
knowledge, and thus he gets well into the affec- 
tions of his hearers ; for all know, who employ 
but little time in the audience, that he speaks 
''what he knows and testifies of that he has seen." 

I suppose the American flag to be not little 
loved by him, and he says God sent Columbus 
to this country and for his benefit. He thanks 
God again and again for the country in which 
he heard Protestantism, and the country of free- 
dom that brought him freedom through faith 
in Christ. Jimmy is Americanized, and so are 
all his, and if one abides long with him he makes 
that one very soon contented to become the in- 
habitant of a land so free. 

Women have played profoundly practical a 
part, both in times of war and in times of peace ; 
but God never used women to the extent He has 
men and never will. It's noticeable just now 
how active a part they play. It's said they are 
be<2:iiining to govern and not submit again to 



LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 135 

the first made. It's alright providing they can 
govern where men cannot, that is, their homes. 
It's not likely that women will gather a mass 
of governesses, or exert their influence very far 
in any State or Country. We may name isolated 
cases where women have outstripped men, and 
they have been exceptional cases, for it was to 
supply the lack of man just at the time of their 
sway, when they stupendously distinguished 
themselves and were almost masculine. Such 
cases can be understood, and easily so. 

It's this way ; women of that governing order 
are not suitable for the home, and when one takes 
official positions and without home precincts, it's 
a certain proof that she cannot be a man's wife, 
or even concert herself in home life. It would 
be inappropriate to such an one and unbecoming 
to the class of woman we here discuss. 

Some have contrite spirits, but others not, 
and a woman without gentleness is not suitable 
to become a mother. A mother has a tender 
heart, or her children will have hard ones ; and 
a mother must wield the sceptre of love, or a man 
can never grow from her nursery. Mothers are 
adorable, but women we know nothing about. 

Jimmy fears women are not home enough, or, 
in scriptural words, they are not contented to 
learn of their husbands. Usurping authority in 
the church is very fashionable. They do it as 
do others, things contrary to Divine law. 

Well it is said that a woman should keep 



136 LIFE OF '-'JIMMY'' 

silence and not at all allow her voice to be heard 
when church matters are discussed, and yet they 
do and very freely. It's a shame for a woman 
to speak in the church, and still they cannot be 
silent. Jimmy is ver}' dogmatic about this par- 
ticular portion of his creed. If not generally 
approved of he is not off the mark and produces 
Scripture which is a sign of being well grounded ; 
and a man like Jimmy, with the spirit of Scrip- 
ture, is a good pattern for all kinds. 

There's nothing humiliating in learning from 
a man right whoe'er he be, or entertaining his 
good characteristics when they are reconcilable 
to the Holy Page. It's a great and universal sore 
to learn what is not palatable to the mind and 
heart of man, and the repetition is ver}' frequent 
that "men will not come to the light lest their 
deeds should be reproved." 

Pride is the sore that never heals until the 
Sun of Righteousness shines on it, and men 
don't make bare or divest themselves for the 
inspection of Christ, the great Physician. Men 
are unchanged. They are proud, doting about 
questions to no profit, and still the sacred name 
Jesus is employed, ah ! too freely, and no cure 
comes where no seeking is made that the cure 
may be wrought. 

Jimmy propounded a great subject a night 
ago by saying that God doesn't trouble until 
people cry out for God and seek Him with all 
diligence. 



LIFE OF "JIMMY'' 137 

The pride of life is a great bugbear to God's 
work and a shackle to be smashed. But men's 
hearts are not smashed ; and how can men be 
righted who think themselves right as they are? 
Cr>' aloud and devastate pride. Xo good leav- 
ing it to be abolished by women ; only men can 
do that. 

The righteous are said to flourish, and they 
do,, but not as may be expected or even as early 
as is too frequently desired. I never knew a 
godly man not prosper. If a man prospers 
to-day he may not prosper to-morrow: or if a 
man suffers loss to-day he may not suffer loss 
to-morrow. What we say is. that a man godly 
will prosper when he doesn't appear to do so, 
and succeed when all seems contrary- to his suc- 
ceeding. 

I've known men spread themselves and like a 
green bay tree, and green was their success, for 
it never matured. Others have flourished after 
they appeared to be failures. 

Job was successful all the time. He never 
suffered defeat, or contrar>' to success, his lend- 
ing his goods were exceptionally refunded, and 
his apparent losses was like money put out at 
usury. He flourished from the day he was bom ; 
and the end of a life is the proof of whether it's 
a success or not. Job was and others have been. 
But alas ! how few are successful, and for the 
simple reason they are not righteous, or, if right- 
eous, not greatly so. 



138 LIFE OF ''JIMMY'' 

''What kind of salvation have these people 
got?'' said Jimmy a little time since. He would 
frequently hear such testimonies to the effect 
that men were not worth a dollar, and since saved 
they have thousands of dollars, and they show 
their diamond pins and glistening trinkets, either 
annexed to a gold chain or in the shape of a 
brilliant, extravagant ring. Well, they flourish, 
but to-morrow not so. 

They were saved to get rich, but they will 
live to get poor. Such talk is rotten and vigor- 
ously opposite to salvation. I never tolerate such 
visible pride and cry against it. It's of the 
devil, however well they may regard themselves 
saved. Such people may be backsliders, but they 
w^ere ever back in the world. 

I have begun to learn since having associated 
with Jimmy, and am indebted for all here written 
to the man who knows nothing. But there, he 
is evidently teaching somebody who knows what 
he has been told by a saint. 

He would defy this sort of people and fre- 
quently w^ould absent himself from meetings for 
that he said these kind of people made him feel 
sick. 

Another, once standing with a band of men 
round the platform, was bold enough to offer a 
payment of supper for a poor fellow who in his 
testimony said he had nothing to eat that evening. 

It's poor Christian giving that allows the right 
hand to know what the left does. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

CECRET Christianity is the need of this gen- 
^ eration. The shadow of the Almighty rests 
only very seldom on a man exposed to publicity.* 
The man who craves notice of God and pur- 
chases man's dispraise is the one we write of; 
and did men know God as he they would often 
wash his feet and deem it an honor. 

If my book comes to print after Jimmy goes 
to Heaven it may not be believed such a saint 
ever lived. The Lord of Jimmy can order all, 
and He may order the book, or order His child. 
If time goes hurrying and my preaching con- 
tinuing, it may not be long ere I complete my 
toil. If Jimmy has rest and no more than he 
gets now, I shall one day be proud to put a 
printed volume of his own life in his own hands. 
This work of faith must be pushed ahead by its 
author, viz., God, the Author of true faith. 

Time will commit these few early comments 
of Jimmy's to the press, and a further account 
be added at a remoter date. 

Yours faithfully, as aforesigned. 



♦Psalm 01 : 1. 



MAR 8 1907 



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